No free lunch
by Karel Stein-Adler
Summary: What could happen after S3E01-Chameleon? Here is one potential story... AU, where (some of) protagonists do (sometimes) also use their 'little grey cells'… "Luka, observing you, I think about white lilies," said Adrien. "Yes, how perfectly would white lilies look being placed on your gravestone..."
1. Chapter 1

No free lunch

Karel_Stein_Adler

Summary:

What could happen after S3E01-Chameleon?

Here is one potential story...

AU, where (some of) protagonists do (sometimes) also use their 'little grey cells'…

"I'm tired to death!"

Ladybug looked on Chat Noir with exhaustion written in uncovered part of her face. When his enhanced akumas like Chameleon, or more correctly Lila Rossi, as well as frontal attack of his akumatized army failed, Hawk-Moth changed his strategy into attrition warfare. He stopped with extra-hyper-super-active akumas, he used rather several attacks per one night. His 'new' akumas were chaotically active throughout the whole City. They were not really evil people, rather exhibitionists in need to bother their neighborhood with trivial personal petty quarrels and insignificant troubles. Parisians forgot their one (and only) surge of courage during Heroes' Day and became into their normal Frenchmening, being not helping, but always complaining, that saviors were late…

Chat Noir nodded. When he started with this superhero business, it was amazing, but now it was exhausting and stultifying routine…

They ceased patrolling, as they needed at least little rest, just not to die from exhaustion. Chat Noir was often 'unavailable'. When he offered to Ladybug revelation of his identity "So you could agree with my assistant on schedule," she was unsure, whether is he joking with his usual puns or not. But she decisively denied to do so…

In best Daladier – Laval tradition the level of Akuma Terrorist Alert was raised to 'RUN AND HIDE'. Chat Noir was pretty sure, soon it will be 'SURRENDER AND COLLABORATE'. Parisians, did in fact their best to approve Mark Twain's quotes about France and Frenchmen. (France has neither winter nor summer nor morals - apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country. France is miserable, because it is filled with Frenchmen, and Frenchmen are miserable, because they live in France. France has usually been governed by prostitutes.)

During rare moment, when Chat Noir spent time as his civil personage Adrien Agreste together with his father and also with his father's assistant Nathalie, watching TV news. After hearing Mayor André Bourgeois's blathering, he thought in disbelief:

"How such impossible lame incompetent moron could only happen to be Mayor of Paris?"

That he told it aloud he found thanks to Nathalie's raised left eyebrow and to his big surprise his father answered him:

"He has money to rent spin-doctors, Adrien. Well, he's stupid snotty, but his opponent in last votes, D'Argencourt? Armand is competent as fencing instructor and school gym teacher. But he's also megalomaniac sociopath. André runs top-class hotel here in Paris, by the way. Once you prove similar ability, feel free to criticize him."

Gabriel Agreste was in quite talkative mood that evening.

"André is in fact unhappy man. His wife is mean evil harpy even not being akumatized. His daughter is nothing but a spoiled brat."

"That's unfair, dad!" said Adrien. "Chloé is not that bad. Now as Queen Bee…"

"Well, yes, she improved herself, a little bit," nodded Gabriel, showing 2 – 3 mm gap between his thumb and pointing finger. "But she'd need to serve at least ten years as Queen Bee day by day to redeem her mistakes. I know, you considered her as your friend, but if you in future decide to marry her, I'd need to make some measures to eliminate risk, that you two destroy our brand."

"Don't worry, father," Adrien smirked. "It's not in my plans to marry Chloé any day."

"That's good," Gabriel smirked back. "I recommended André to change his hotel into trust fund after his death, so his wife and his daughter would obtain only annuity for easy life, but they both should not interfere into hotel work organization."

Father gave Adrien look explaining, that same way the Gabriel Brand would be changed, if Adrien nevertheless decide to marry Chloé in future.

"Speaking of girls, Adrien, there is also Lila Rossi. She spreads rumors about dating with you. I really hope, it's nothing but a rumor."

"Sure father, I'm not a foolish."

"Right, she's probably mentally ill, I guess either case of Pseudologia Phantastica or Narcissistic disorder. Be careful, she could be even really dangerous."

"OK, I'll take care."

"Please, this girl you'd better never marry. It would be disaster for you and for our brand too and you'd need to do DNA paternity tests of each one potential child. Dating with Kagami Tsurugi I appreciate better, there is another problem, ant that problem is you."

"What do you mean?"

"She's from Japanese old noble family. You are nothing more, than Gaijin, non-japan foreigner. After marriage with you, her status in Japan would get abased, you'd be in their eyes just only handsome stranger, who seduced their noble woman. In long time perspective it would probably not work fine. What's funny, there is girl in your class, who would be probably ideal for you and in fact for our business too."

"Whom?" asked Adrien being confused.

"Marinette," answered Gabriel. "She's talented, contrary to you, by the way. I'm thinking about sending Nathalie with contract offer."

"Contract offer?"

"Yes, are you deaf or uncomprehending? She's talented designer, so I do NOT let headhunt her to our business rivals. If you finally grow wiser and marry her, I'd know, our brand will be in competent hands."

Well, that was really surprise for Adrien. He had no idea, his father observes his activities concerning girls.

"Well, father, that's interesting idea. But in fact I have no time to ask any girl out."

"Adrien, you need to learn several important lessons. First of them is, there is no free lunch in the world. I tested you, whether you are able to learn enough in public school and whether you are determined to reach your goals. Show me your ability and responsibility and I'll allow you more free time to arrange some dating. Second lecture is forbearance. Means, that you stay in patience, when trying to do something, not giving up untimely, not loosing temper without good reason. As I told you, Audrey Burgeois is harpy, but you MUST NEVER tell that to anybody other, than we three here. You will meet her quite often and she could ruin our reputation, so be really, really careful. And you will have to learn something about business management. Nathalie agreed tutoring you in it. So, do you have your school homework finished?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good. So now you can arrange with Nathalie your schedule."

After that his father left dining room and Nathalie allowed herself small smile:

"Don't worry Adrien, It will not be THAT horrible."

Adrien thought, that Ladybug was possibly right with her suspicion of his father. He is coldblooded manipulator and his disdain to people Adrien always considered as his father's friend, was almost palpable. That is really NOT good…

XXXXXXX

Hawkmoth was in his lair satisfied. His new tactics seems to work. He sent big groups of preprogrammed akumas to snoop around whole Paris, searching for evil emotions enough to 'charge' themselves on their own way. Some of them were probably eaten by birds, but supply of akumas was practically unlimited. Thanks to social interactions between cretins and imbeciles typical for every big city there was food for them in unbelievable amount…

"So here, winner, whose prize was stolen by cheat and manipulation. Justified wrath, what a taste!"

He emitted devilish laugh. What a cliché. Thankfully he was alone here, as he really looked like a true idiot that moment…

XXXXXXX

"So, what do we have here?" asked Ladybug, appearing one or two minutes after Chat Noir.

"She names herself Sphinx," showed Chat Noir to monstrous figure, who looked like she appreciate attention of cameraman. "If they only have some invention and originality."

Sphinx looked like a girl with body covered by yellow-gray fur, with paws instead of hands and foots. In left upper paw she hold ankh. She stayed calm, with strange wise smile on unchanged girlish face.

"What do you think, can she fly away?" asked Chat Noir.

"That's what we must find," smirked Ladybug. "Let's move to her, slowly."

Heavily armored policemen watched their coming. One of them showed his thumb up. Police finally showed its usefulness. These new, weaker akuma were often caught by police forces and placed in special dungeon, nicknamed ZOO-cage by cops. So Ladybug and Chat Noir were able to purify their akumas en masse…

Sphinx turned to them and her smile was even wider:

"Finally you're here. I'll ask you riddle, than you ask me riddle. If I win, I have your miraculous. If you win, I give you my akuma."

"Maybe in your dreams!" shouted Ladybug. "Lucky Charm!" shouted, throwing her yo-yo upstairs.

Result was funny.

"The Great Book of Riddles?" asked Chat Noir. "Seriously?"

Ladybug used her Lucky Vision and only book, Chat Noir's head and Sphinx appeared in polka-dot pattern.

"Show, how clever are you, mon chaton!"

"Meoweles!"

Sphinx started with usual riddles and same did Chat Noir, with some Ladybug's prompter.

Finally Sphinx used 'heavier caliber':

"Why do Frenchmen eat snails and frogs?"

"That's easy, other animal would kick them ass!" answered Chat Noir. "It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills. It comes first and follows after, ends life, kills laughter."

"It's Darkness!" smiled Sphinx. "But Gollum said it better, than you. How many Frenchmen is necessary to change one lightbulb?"

"One is enough!" answered Chat Noir. "He keeps the lightbulb and the whole Europe rotates around him. What is green and red and goes round and round and round?"

"Green and red and goes round and round and round?" Sphinx frowned. "This one I do not know. You win."

She stretched out her hand to Chat Noir: "And what's the answer?"

"Don't dare to give it to him!" shrieked in her head Hawkmoth's voice, as purple mask on her face appeared.

"Screw you, Hawkmoth!" shrieked Sphinx. "All I want is justice. If he answers now, he win and you go to Hell!"

"Answer is 'Frog in cuisinart'," answered Chat Noir and grabbed the ankh. "Did you never ever read 'Trumps of Doom?"

Sphinx laughed and observed, how Chat Noir tried to destroy ankh.

"It's magic, silly kitty," said with teasing tone. "You'll have to use your powers."

"Cataclysm!" shrieked Chat Noir and observed small dark moth escaping from dust.

"No more evil doing for you, little akuma!" used her catchphrase Ladybug and yo-yoyed escaping insect. "Time to de-evilize!"

Released moth was white, as usually.

"Bye-bye little butterfly! Miraculous Ladybug!"

Book of riddles changed into myriads of little ladybugs and Chat Noir observed piece of paper with printed text on it.

"I'm Stéphanie, I should win a puzzler's tournament," explained ex-Sphinx. "According this I was best, but one of organizers prefers his girlfriend and due his machination I was only fourth. This document I obtained anonymously, from an insider."

"Probably from organizer without girlfriend," smirked Ladybug. "What a big deal?"

"Winner got weekend on Riviera with plus one," explained Stéphanie. "It's gift from sponsor and organizers should not got profit from that, but there is always way…"

"As usual," nodded Chat Noir.

Stéphanie grabbed piece of paper from her purse. Hard to say, where it was, once she was akumized, Chat Noir did not remember any purse on Sphinx. She wrote something and passed it to Chat Noir.

"That's my phone number. If you wish to be MY plus one…"

Chat Noir laughed, but placed paper into one pocket of his costume.

"Lieutenant Raincomprix!" said Ladybug. "This document can be used as evidence in case of swindle or embezzlement, I believe."

"Thanks, Ladybug, I'll take care of it!" answered policeman in task.

"Bug off!" said Ladybug and yo-yoyed away before her timeout.

Chat Noir made Cheshire Cat's grin to camera and said:

"Have a meoweleous day."

He never care, whether his puns are original (usually are not).

XXXXXXX

"Tikki, what the heck Chat Noir thinks?!" asked Marinette angrily. "How could he dare accept phone number from THAT girl?"

"How many times did you accept phone numbers or mail contacts?" asked Tikki.

"That's something completely different!" shrieked Marinette. "I always threw it away."

"And how do you know, Chat Noir did not throw it away too?" asked her kwami.

Interjection "Arrrgh!" is hard to be considered as valid answer, so Tikki laughed and said:

"Better give me some food, there is another akuma for sure somewhere."

Scream of horror from another street could be caused by another akuma. So Tikki ate her cookie more quickly.

"Tikki, spots on!"

XXXXXXX

"You know, that making Ladybug jealous will not work well!" Plagg flied before Adrien's face, so Adrien used piece of Camembert to clog his mouth.

"It seems to me, they play our song," said Adrien, hearing screams of terror from another street. "Plagg, claws out!"

XXXXXXX

Ladybug and Chat Noir met upstairs, as usual. Street under their random roof was cold and empty like a hearth of professional politician. Dark snarling was some twenty, forty meters from them, hidden in shadows.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2)

There was movement in shadows, heading out of both heroes. This street was empty, as everybody wisely remembered about each other's important meetings somewhere in opposite parts of Paris. Nevertheless, if akuma would move that way, where he or she probably aimed, innocent people could get harmed…

"I'll go to check, what's the hell is it, you cover me from upstairs m'lady."

Before Ladybug was able to protest, Chat Noir climbed down. Akuma appeared in time shorter, than eye-blink. This creature did not say nor demand anything. It's mouth was unsuitable for speaking in fact. It looks like a strange cross between Loup-Garou (werewolf) and Tigre à dents de sabre (Saber-toothed cat).

Chat Noir used his staff instinctively to block attack and (probably by goddess Fortuna own action) broke one elongated dent. Dark moth appeared and monster changed into chubby middle-aged man with bald pate on big part of his head. He kept his mouth both-handed and shrieked:

"My tooth, they broke my tooth!"

With these shrieks he disappeared in darkness. Later they learned, thanks to mistake of his dentist, poor man came to his office with dental crown of much brighter white color, than was color of rest of his teeth. His colleagues naturally laughed because of it and annoyed man was akumatised. What a triviality…

They did not use their powers yet, Ladybug's yo-yo swung from upstairs:

"No more evil doing for you, little akuma!" used her catchphrase Ladybug and yo-yoyed escaping insect. "Time to de-evilize!"

Before she released purified akuma, Chat Noir stopped her:

"Don't let it fly away!"

"What the heck?!"

Chat Noir climbed back to her and from one pocket pulled small plastic bottle. When he opened it, Ladybug felt irksome sweetish smell. Chat Noir opened her yo-yo, gently removed white butterfly and placed it into bottle.

"That's entomological killing jar," explained Chat Noir. "The smell is ethyl acetate."

"Why?"

"It's time to pay visit at professor Lefebvre place."

"Whom?"

"Professor Gustave Lefebvre is one of the best French lepidopterologists," explained Chat Noir. Observing Ladybug's baffled face he explained: "That's branch of entomology. Professor Lefebvre is expert in exotic moths."

"That's something we should do much sooner!" agreed Ladybug.

"It was almost impossible. First, there was always an witness, usually with camera on us. So Hawkmoth would know about that almost immediately. And second, I found him just two weeks ago, when I got this idea. I also needed to find safe way to his place without being filmed by security camera and that was not easy at all. I checked visual angles of cameras there and map is prepared."

Chat Noir showed it on small display on his staff.

"It's quite complicated," agreed Ladybug. "Just a moment! What if professor Lefebvre is Hawkmoth? He could make a trap to catch us…"

"I believe, you remember Hawkmoth's masque and face under it. Professor Lefebvre is in pension age, with beard and mustache. Hawkmoth has none of it. Professor Lefebvre is slightly wacky scientist, with happy family, one daughter, two grandchildren. He doesn't answer to profile of sociopath like Hawkmoth."

"OK, let's go. Where is his place?"

"Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle of Sorbonne, naturally. Where else? So let's go for some education!"

They both switched on warning for case of new akuma attack on their devices, but Paris was almost surprisingly calm this evening. They jumped from roof to roof.

"On Rue Cuvier there are too many cameras," explained Chat Noir, when they changed direction. "Roof of Lip 6* is also covered, but we simply can't avoid every camera here."

(*Laboratoire d'Informatique de Paris 6)

Same was truth also for Bibliothèque de Licence 1, but they finally hit the roof of Muséum without police helicopters on their backs.

"Collections have independent additional security protection, but we do not need to go there nor steal anything," said Chat Noir and opened one small rooftop window. "Let me go first! I'll catch you."

Chat sneaked through and half minute later whispered from downstairs:

"You can go m'lady!"

When she jumped downstairs, he caught her and kept her a few seconds longer, than it was necessary in hug.

"Enough purring!" said Ladybug and slapped his nose by open hand from upstairs.

Chat Noir laughed a bit.

"Don't be evil, m'lady!" said with theatrically seductive face expression.

"You are incorrigible!" accused him Ladybug.

"Sure, my best attribute!"

They quickly moved throughout corridors.

"Here're toilets!" showed Chat Noir. "For case we need recharge our kwamis."

Professor Lefebvre's study room was marked by discreet small label on the door.

Chat Noir knocked, not aloud. Door opened and not tall grey haired man with short white beard looked on both heroes.

"Looks, who ambled into town!" his voice was squeaky. "I hope you're not such idiots to consider me to be Hawkmoth!"

"No, professor," answered Chat Noir unusually respectfully. "You don't fit psychological profile. We'd ask you for help."

"What sort of help?" asked professor, but opened door enough to let both teenagers in. "By the way, young man, do you know, psychology is not an exact science?"

Chat Noir pulled entomological killing jar from pocket.

"So, that's akuma, huh?!" asked professor and put on his pair of glasses. "For first sight it looks like an albino Antheraea…"

He looked on both heroes:

"What exactly should I do with it?"

"We need to know as much as it's possible, professor," explained Chat Noir. "We need to find, who release them and where he keeps them. I guess, there must be somewhere really a lot of caterpillars and it means to know, what plant he used to feed them."

"Well, I can determine species, if it's something new, I'll publish it as new species. Can I name it Antheraea ladynoir, if it's new one?"

"Professor, I know the rule 'Publish or perish', but I'd wish you to ask delay publishing of it," said Chat Noir. "We don't know, whether Hawkmoth reads entomological journals or not."

"How long?"

"Hard to say," answered Ladybug. "Provisionally for two or three months. And ladynoir is good with me, as name for a moth. It was chatton's idea to go here."

"Three months is too long time, young lady," shook professor his head. "I don't want to compete with some amateurs. Bon. I could do also chromatographic analysis of fluids to search for plant toxins residua. I hope you killed it with ethyl acetate or hydrogen cyanide. No, with cyanide hardly. You couldn't have license to work with toxic substances," professor opened killing jar and waved by his hand to taste the smell by his nose. "Ethyl acetate, perfect. Same analysis I did for CITES authorities by the way. Three years ago. They wanted me to find, whether imported butterflies for commerce were farm bred or wild caught."

"Why and how?" asked confused Ladybug.

"Farmers use relatively small number of plants as food for feeding caterpillars," explained professor. "There is different spectrum of alkaloids in their plants and in plants somewhere inside primary forest. And nobody want wild caught butterflies to be commercially sold, it should be strictly for research purpose only."

"Sounds good to me," said Chat Noir. "I mean that analysis of toxins."

"May I ask you for something?" asked professor.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I'd wish to have a signed selfie with you two. For my granddaughter, she's your fan."

"OK, professor," nodded Ladybug. "But we'll sign it with our nomes de guerre."

"Off course," nodded professor. "Corrine will love it. However I can't get, why my daughter named her daughter after jumping spider…"

Professor was lost in his mind a bit. But he placed his phone on tripod and showed both teenagers, where they should stay.

"Say cheese!" said Ladybug.

"Camembert!" answered Chat Noir, what made all three to laugh.

Once professor printed photo and it was signed, he made puppy eyes on both.

"May I ask you for demonstration of your powers?"

He looked impressed, like a big child with insatiable curiousness, hidden somewhere inside minds of most of good scientists.

"OK," nodded Ladybug. "Lucky Charm!" she threw her yo-yo not too high not to hit ceiling.

"What do we have here?" asked, observing bouquet of flowers in polka-dotted paper.

Her Lucky Vision showed her only flowers inside and professor Lefebvre.

"So, what is it?" asked professor and unpacked it. "Uhm… Tropaeolum. That's quite interesting."

"What do you mean?"

"Tropaeloum, or Nasturtium, is common plant, even edible, but it contains some insecticide chemical compounds. Anyway could be possibly used as feeding for caterpillars, as there is not that much of those insecticides. I can test it in chromatography. If these components are absent, result is in my mind, they should be used to kill akumas."

"Fine, before I use my second spell, Chat Noir could demonstrate his destructive powers."

"OK," Chat Noir looked, what is not expensive or irreplaceable in professor study.

He chose Erlenmeyer flask.

"Cataclysm!"

Erlenmeyer flask turned into silica dust.

Ladybug threw polka-dotted paper into air.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

The Erlenmeyer flask was repaired.

"When could we come for results?" asked Chat Noir.

"Try next week, same time, it should be finished. By the way, there should be seven dots!" professor pointed on Ladybug's yo-yo.

"Professor, design probably came from China, as far as we know."

"Harmonia axyridis has also never five dots," said professor a bit stubbornly.

"What?" asked Ladybug.

"Asian Ladybeetle," answered Chat Noir. "I guess, professor, whoever made that, he or she ignored true beetles and made it to look in symmetricity esthetically."

"You're probably right, young man. I guess, I should not detain you."

His words were confirmed by beep from Ladybug's earrings.

"See you, professor!" said Chat Noir and they both left the place.

"This way!" showed to left.

They both hided themselves in shadows, so Muséum custodian did not observe them. They reached toilets in last moments for them both.

"Interesting meeting!" smiled Tikki. "Chat Noir is cleverer, than I thought."

Tikki ate her cookie and same did Plagg with Camembert next door to them.

"You are straw-picking, do you know it?" said to Adrien. "That plant is everywhere. Some fools even eat it!"

"Fine, Plagg. But now, Plagg, claws out!"

They met on most nonromantic place – before toilet entrance.

"And what to do now, m'lady?" asked Chat Noir.

"Let's go catch some sleep, hopefully that Hawkus mothus will not send another akuma," Ladybug's try to pun was lame a bit.

Once they reach safe place without cameras and witnesses, they parted with "Pound it" and "Good night."

XXXXXXX

During pause before French literature lesson Adrien sat on his place and read book.

Nino breathed down over his neck.

"Dude, why the heck do you read about Atlanta Strangler?!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3)

Adrien shot short look into class. It seemed, everybody observed him and Nino now. Thankfully Lila Rossi was with totally lame excuse absent that day, so he could speak with less worry.

"That's 'Mindhunter'," answered Adrien.

"That TV show?"

"No, book written by FBI profiler," shook Adrien his head.

"John Douglas's book?" asked Alya curiously. "He's the only one who thinks, Wayne Williams was guilty. Even he himself concedes, he had no evidence, only his behavior profiling. Why do you read that? For really bad night mares?"

"No," shook Adrien his head. "I'm thinking, how to help heroes of Paris. I'm not brave enough to jump from roof to roof over the Paris…"

-You hypocrite,- thought Max in that moment. -Others are probably stupid enough, not to recognize, but I KNOW, it's YOU, who is hidden under Chat Noir's mask.-

On the other hand, Adrien evidently did not recognized yet, that Marinette is Ladybug, Alya is Rena Rouge and Nino is Carapace. People are pretty oblivious to details and unable to 'connect dots'. From his observation Max learned, Adrien has crush for Ladybug, Marinette, Ladybug in civil her, has crush for Adrien, who is blind enough to recognize that. If they would not figure out things before Christmas, he could give a perfect Christmas gift for them both…

"Seems to me, they should better try to find, who Hawkmoth is and eliminate him," continued Adrien. "You know, to cut off the head of snake. Without Hawkmoth Paris would not turn into hellhole every second Monday."

"Interesting idea," snorted Sabrina. "So you think, Police is incompetent in catching villains?"

"Did they find Hawkmoth?" asked Alya. "There's group of five heroes and Préfecture de Police de Paris with 34 THOUSANDS members. With so many members there should be a bit bigger progress, I believe…"

"Chill, Alya!" asked Adrien. "Maybe it's a mistake to focus on Hawkmoth's magic abilities. Maybe he could be evaluated same way, as an serial killer."

"If you want to help heroes, you can come to help me with physics, Adrikins" purred Chloé. "I'm so tired from being heroine…"

"I can't remember any case, with Queen Bee assisting in last three weeks," laughed Alya. "Nobody posted anything on my blog."

"Chloé, that's interesting idea, but maybe you could rather help me now," gave her Adrian his usual kind smile. "You faced Hawkmoth, so you could try to describe him. What I remember from TV news, he seemed to me as tall man."

"Why do you not ask Ladybug or Chat Noir?" asked Alya.

"Nobody knows their identity," snorted Adrien. "Chloé is the only one, who revealed her identity publically."

"OK," nodded Chloé. "Detective Agreste, you can write. Hawkmoth is definitively man. Yes, he's tall, 180, maybe 190 cm. Not fatty, athletic figure."

Adrien placed on his table piece of paper and wrote that.

"Could you try to estimate age?"

"Not less, than 35," answered Chloé. "He has small wrinkles around his lips. But not more, than 60, I believe. Well, he has no mustache or beard near lips."

Adrien wrote that too.

"Color of eyes?"

"Blue, yea blue eyes…"

"Anything more?" asked Adrien.

"I don't think so…" Chloé looked confused after doing something reasonable.

"You was akumatized, in fact more, than once," added Alya. "Do you remember anything about Hawkmoth? I myself do not."

"Only, somewhere deep, I remember, he told me, what I really wanted to hear. How amazing I am, when cooperating with him…"

"Manipulative personality, that answers to serial killer pretty well," said Adrien.

"Not every manipulator is serial killer," protested Alya. "In fact nobody died yet."

"Not because of Hawkmoth's mercy, but thanks to effort of all five heroes plus help of some brave Parisians," snorted Adrian back.

"True," nodded Alya. "Would you wish me to place your results to my blog?"

"Better no," said Max surprisingly breaking into debate. "That way it would be same like paint Bull-Eye on Adrien's back. If I'm Hawkmoth, I'd read your blog, just to find, what is known or anticipated. By the way, he must be somehow connected with our school."

"You think so?"

"Yea," nodded Max. "Collège Françoise Dupont, from all the secondary schools in Paris was the only aim of akuma attacks. Some 70 maybe 80 percent of all attacks aimed on students, teachers or parents of students. There are two explanations, either there is Ladybug or Chat Noir secretly studying, or Hawkmoth is either parent of an student, or an ex-teacher. By the way, these two reasons do not exclude each other."

"What about ex-student?" asked Adrien.

"Possible, but not probable," answered Max. "Ex-student would rather aim on teachers, not on students, I believe."

"He's criminal, probably mentally ill," protested Alya. "He hardly thinks rationally."

"Au contraire," Max smiled. "He acts rationally, in fact perfectly logically, from his point of view. You only need to find his point of view and motivation for his actions."

"Good advice, do you have any suggestion?" Adrien said with ironical tone of voice. "I myself have no idea."

"Me neither," nodded Max. "I'm clever, not crazy. Yea, maybe another important estimate, he must be wealthy man, I believe."

"Why?"

"Somebody, who works eight hour a day five days a week would hardly have time for akumatization of all those villains, somebody on socials would hardly have place for keeping so many butterflies. I'm sorry Adrien, but one of suspects is your father, he fits characteristics almost too perfectly…" Max looked sad a bit.

"It must be just coincidence," protested Adrien. "I hope so…"

"Fine," shouted Alya. "But how do you plan to hand result of your investigation over, if not presented on Ladyblog?"

"I believe, one day soon I could pass it to Ladybug or Chat Noir personally."

"I can imagine it!" laughed Kim. "Look Ladybug! Here is result of my investigation of Hawkmoth identity. Please, date with me, please, please, please!"

Ivan turned to Kim:

"Adrien, may I bash him up, please, please, please!"

"Ivan, if it's what you need for your fun, do it for your own reasons," answered Adrien. "Kim flattened on wall would hardly look too decorative, rather unaesthetic."

He turned to Kim:

"Kim, your IQ would need to improve for 30 points to let you be intelligent enough to recognize, how stupid you are."

"It's exaggerated," said Max. "10 points would be sufficient. But Kim is right in one thing. You can't date Ladybug, even if she's so unreasonable to agree so. You'd be her soft point. Anybody could simply stalk you and after your 'date' track Ladybug to uncover her identity. Quite a disservice from your side. Why would you fall in love with Ladybug from all girls over the world? She wears mask, so you can't know her face, but to recognize her body curves you do not need too much imagination. Do you want depersonalized mistress or what the heck?!"

"Are you out of yourself or what?" asked Adrien, red in face, hard to say, whether because of anger or shame. "She saved my life. More, than once, in fact. So whom better to fall into?!"

"Welcome in club!" smirked Max back. "I think everybody here thanks for life to her. But nobody declares to be in love with her."

"I would," said Kim, surprisingly sheepishly. "But I believe, she's with Chat Noir."

"They keep denying that, more exactly Ladybug does," snorted Alya. "But you have NO chance Kim, about Adrien I'm unsure."

That moment Miss Bustier just came into class.

"So what is it here?" asked. "That doesn't look too much like your homework to me, Adrien."

"I tried to evaluate, who is Hawkmoth, Miss Bustier," said Adrien.

Miss Bustier looked on paper.

"Interesting. I do not remember any ex-teacher fitting these characteristics… But as John Douglas is not a French author, I'd prefer you to take this book, as well as that paper, out of your table. So everybody on your seats, open on page 87…"

XXXXXXX

Doctor Jean-Pierre Langloix was not a happy man. Well, he was good specialist in abdominal surgery. But he lived in unhappy marriage, what confirmed documents he obtained from hired private eye. Now these documents, especially really questionable photos in his attaché case, had brisance of penthrite…

When Ginette, his wife, came to hospital together with her damned mother, he really hoped his boss would help him, refusing to excuse him from hospital duties, but Professor Dumas explained him:

"Jean-Pierre, you are quite lucky. Your monster-in-law lives in Lyon, so she's in Paris not so often. My mother in law lives three streets to my house. I do NOT remember weekend without her annoying presence in my place. So go and drink your goblet of hemlock and have a fun. By the way, do you know, what's the penalty for bigamy?"

"I'm surgeon, not a lawyer," answered Doctor Langloix.

"Well, answer is, two mothers-in-law!" barked Professor Dumas. "And now go! You have so many overtime hours, so see you tomorrow!"

"Don't tell me, you're irreplaceable here!" said Michelle Tricatelle, his termagant Nemesis, when he left his boss's office. "During lunch we should discuss something!"

Hippocratic Oath was the only thing, what prevented Doctor Langloix from improving her food with Lactulose, really potent laxative.

Maitre d'hotel of his favorite restaurant invited them inside.

"Doctor Langloix, table for three, just a minute, please."

"Sure Etienne," answered Jean-Pierre. "What about your gall bladder?"

"According echo the stone continues growing."

"Etienne, are you crazy? I told you to come to my work year ago. Biliary colic could even kill you and really painful way!"

"I know, Doctor Langloix. But I'm worried about surgery…"

"Do you prefer to die?!" Jean-Pierre was mad.

"No, but… By the way, Doctor, you are here with this old bat and her shrew daughter you so unwisely married and not divorced with her yet."

"Touché!" nodded Jean Pierre. "If I divorce with her, would you come to hospital to remove your gall bladder?"

"Deal, Doctor Langloix. By the way, what do you have in this briefcase?"

"Maybe you'll see it. Hopefully not…"

"So you hired private eye…"

"Maybe I'll need a witness at court of law…"

"Good luck, Doctor," said Maitre d'hotel. "Natasha will show you your table."

"Here, Doctor Langloix," showed blondie waitress. "If I can recommend, fillet porc caramélisé aux pommes is excellent today."

"Okay, I'll follow your recommendation, miss," nodded Doctor Langloix and observed, how Natasha helped his mother in law and subsequently his wife to settle. "What should I order to you?"

They both said their wishes and Natasha wrote it into her writing pad.

Once sitting on chair, Doctor Langloix started think over his plans for tomorrow. Surgery of Madam Leclercque's duodenal cancer will be complicated. One shadow in CT-record he considered as suspect position of metastasis.

His wife suddenly poked him into chest.

"What?!" asked Jean-Pierre confused.

"I asked, whether you listen me!" shrieked Michelle Tricatelle.

"No, I do not!" answered Doctor Langloix, this time really pissed. "Whenever you open your mouth, I do my best to ignore, whatever you say."

His mother-in-law widened her eyes. Jean-Pierre observed well-known dark butterfly hide into her brooch. Her hair lost its artificial color and turned white. Her dress changed into white ancient Greek style chiton.

"I am Oracle," said akuma. "Now you will listen me. I will tell you, when and how you will die!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4)

Marinette stared for a moment in disbelief. So Adrien fell in love into Ladybug?! Crap! That is really ugly sneer of destiny. Her own alter ego is her mysterious female rival…

She started plotting, how could she use this knowledge. Marinette did never think about how her costume could influent on man's imagination. For her it was simply something, what protected her anonymity and allowed her doing things, what unprotected body would not be able to do without painful death or at least crippling…

"What's with you, girl?!" nudged her Alya and whispered. "You have dream look, but another dream look, than usually…"

"That's okay, Alya, I just discovered something…"

"That Adrien has big crush in Ladybug? It's an open secret."

Marinette smiled on her.

"Maybe I could try to steal him from her."

"From Ladybug?" snorted Alya. "Keep dreaming!"

XXXXXXX

Max caught Adrien just before lunch break:

"Let me make picture of that paper!"

Once he made it with his phone, Max smiled:

"I can prepare D-base of suspects. But I need two three days for it, too many other things in run. By the way, there is another akuma attack."

Max showed his phone with video from restaurant.

"That's not far from here."

Marinette heard that. She checked on her phone and found place of new attack.

Once out of school, they both found place for transformation.

"Tikki, spots on!"

"Plagg, claws out!"

They both met near to restaurant.

"M'lady, shall we dance?"

"Sure, silly kitty!"

XXXXXXX

Doctor Langloix was as surgeon used in pigheadness of fate. 'Needs must, when devil vomits into your kettle.' There is always chance something could go really bad way during surgery, like 'I perform an operation, I perform an operation, suddenly I do a post mortem'…

So he did not waste time. To avoid traumatization of his fingers, he fastened his opened right palm and punched 'Oracle' to jawline with all his power. His mother-in-law was shocked for a moment, so Jean-Pierre crammed her mouth with canvas serviette.

Waitress Natasha observed, what happened and screamed:

"Etienne, we'll need a rope! Firm rope!"

Together with Doctor Langloix they pushed akumatized woman to her chair.

Another akuma neared to Ginette Langloix, but before it was able to infect Jean-Pierre's wife, another waitress hit it with carte du jour.

"You are eliminated from menu!"

Maitre d'hotel hurried with rope. Together they tied Michelle Tricatelle to her chair.

"Something I should do years ago!" said Jean-Pierre.

Ginette grabbed steak knife, but waitress used metallic platter to smash it from her hand.

"So you want even to kill me?!" Doctor Langloix shrieked in disbelief.

"So, what do we have here?" asked calm woman's voice. "Inspector Marion Barniere. What the heck is it here?"

"Here, Michelle Tricatelle was akumatized and promised to say, when and how one will die," snorted Doctor Langloix.

"And you are?" asked policewoman.

"Jean-Pierre Langloix. She is my mother-in-law."

Inspector Barniere grimaced.

"Seems, you enjoyed your time. Well. I'll need everybody's personal data. And I heard something about killing?"

Doctor Langloix pointed on knife on floor. Inspector gesticulated on one uniformed policeman.

"Fingerprints!"

Policeman nodded and placed knife into plastic bag. Ginette started to tremble.

"Are you going to press charges?" asked Inspector Barniere.

"It depends on my wife's decision."

"What decision, you cochon?!" asked furious woman. "I need a divorce! Doctor Bornishe will fleece you up to underpants!"

"I don't think so," said Jean-Pierre. "Don't you remember our marriage contract? You're such a stupid bitch, you never agreed to give a birth of baby!"

Ginette stared on her husband in silent disbelief.

"According that contract you lose any right of financial compensation," explained Doctor Langloix. "Once you are not loyal, but errant wife. And here," he opened his attaché case. "Here I have photo-documentation and sworn deposition of my private eye about your affairs. But you can agree with 20 thousands euro as compensation. And if you leave Paris for good, changing your surname back to Tricatelle and if you promise never bother me again, I can agree to cancel your charge. Now give me your keys of my house and return to Lyon with your mother. Hire your own lawyer. Doctor Bornishe works for my family, not for you. Here is his business card. Your lawyer will know, what to do. I don't want to see even your photo ever again. So, accept it or… …how long incarceration is for such kind of assault, inspector?"

Inspector Barniere gave them ugly smile, observing photos:

"Three to six years, depending on judge's judgement. If she is lucky and judge would be woman, your wife could count on two years at least. What should be done here with madam Tricatelle?"

"I placed announcement about akuma on Ladyblog, maybe Ladybug and Chat Noir could come in not so long time," said Maitre d'hotel. "It's good, they send you, inspector Barniere!"

"It's my district territory, Etienne" smirked policewoman. "I give them thirty minutes. If they couldn't come in that time, madam Tricatelle could wait for heroes in ZOO cage."

"It wouldn't be necessary," said Ladybug, who just came. "I see, it's only weak akuma. Has anybody notice, where akuma is hidden?"

"In her brooch," said Doctor Langloix.

Chat Noir grabbed brooch and stomped on it.

"No more evil doing for you, little akuma!" said Ladybug and caught escaping dark butterfly. "Time to de-evilize!"

"Here is another akuma!" showed Natasha on carte du jour on table.

Chat Noir turned dossier with papers.

"Completely dead," said, but suddenly dark butterfly repaired itself and tried to fly away.

"No way!" said Ladybug and caught it. "Chatton, better don't underrate our enemy next time!"

Two white butterflies left her yo-yo. When Chat Noir looked on photos on table, he blushed.

"I have no idea, Paris hero could be that innocent!" laughed inspector Barniere. "Try to forget it before you agree to marry anybody. Not every wife is so disloyal."

Deakumatized madam Tricatelle stared and mumbled through canvas in her mouth.

"Be careful m'lady, she could bite!" said Chat Noir, when observed Ladybug, who removed canvas from woman's mouth.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" shouted Michelle Tricatelle.

"You were under influence of akuma," explained her Jean-Pierre. "And Ginette will return to Lyon with you now. I hope, you both will spend together perfect time!"

"WHAT?!"

"Well, your daughter decided, one husband is not enough for her," snorted Jean-Pierre and showed one of photos to his mother-in-law. "When everything was lost for her, she even tried to use knife on me. I guess, I have right to need her out of my eyes."

"Are you really THAT stupid?" asked madam Tricatelle her daughter. "If you have morality of cat in heat, do it at least discreetly!"

"Well madam, not every cat does THAT!" pointed Chat Noir on photos.

Inspector, as well as Ladybug and waitresses laughed.

"He's so sweet!" whispered one waitress to Ladybug ear.

"I heard it!" Chat Noir's objection caused another burst of laugh.

"So instead of having lunch I'm derided here," said Chat Noir philosophically. "I need to return to my other duties. Hungry."

Maitre d'hotel showed to one waitress two fingers.

"If you could wait a moment, we can give you two baguettes. We have it here for staff members in hurry. Much better, than from Crocodilles."

"Thanks a lot," nodded Chat Noir. "May I ask also a piece of Camembert?"

"And some cookies?" asked Ladybug.

Waitress nodded and disappeared back into kitchen.

"Not bad place for lunch or dinner," said Chat Noir and glanced around.

"Out of my money," smirked on him Ladybug. "Are you such a snob?"

"Why not?" asked Chat Noir.

About that time waitress was back with two baguettes and small stinky parcel in grey canvas, as well as another parcel in white one.

"Thanks!" said Chat Noir with two-finger salute. "I have feline, there will be troubles of non-akuma character."

"Don't make puns on publicity, Kitty, please," Ladybug shook her head theatrically.

They both left and soon after also Ginette still Langloix as well as her mother also left, both to catch train to Lyon.

"So fillet porc caramélisé aux pommes, Mr. Langloix?" inspector Barniere smiled. "It would be wrong to let such good meal be spoiled. Would you mind, if I keep your company?"

Doctor Langloix was perplexed a bit. He looked on inspector Barniere. Policewoman was pretty, maybe not so beautiful, as his soon-to-be-ex-wife, but looked as much more reasonable woman, clever enough to reach rank of inspector.

"I just need to remove THAT," he showed on photos on his table.

"Sure," agreed policewoman. "Francois, could you pack it and attach it to protocol about this affair? I think, I'll have lunch break right now."

"Sure inspector," nodded uniformed policeman and smirked. "If Mr. Langloix use Doctor Bornishe's service, he could hardly lose this case. I'll call him to collect it in our precinct."

"Excellent idea, Francois," nodded inspector. "Anyway, we serve and protect."

When her colleagues disappeared, she shortly laughed:

"I'm divorced too. I found my husband in bed with another woman. I hit him with taser into arse. It was a mistake, I lost my rank for a year, I was suspended for several months and I faced disciplinary proceedings. I also needed change district, as my husband worked there too."

Doctor Langloix laughed.

"I said enough," said inspector Barniere. "What is your profession, Mr. Langloix?"

"Doctor Langloix is surgeon in hospital…" said Maitre d'hotel.

"Etienne, tomorrow you will drink no liquor, after three P.M. you will not eat anything and day after tomorrow I expect you in morning in my ordination. We'll do complete preoperative set of screening and if there is no problem, in two days your gall bladder will be resolved."

"Doctor Lagloix…" Etienne stared in disbelief.

"We have agreement Etienne," said Jean-Pierre with laugh. "I will divorce, you will go to surgery. We both will save our lives."

Inspector Barniere started laughing and Doctor Langloix decided, he likes this voice…

XXXXXXX

Ginette found, hiring lawyer, who would face Doctor Bornish is already impossible. One of them explained her:

"Nobody will go against Bornish in such a lost case. Save your money and accept your husband's requirements. Next time better remember condition of any signed contract…"

XXXXXXX

When they left restaurant, Chat Noir seemed to be shocked. Ladybug tried to calm him down:

"Button up kitten, not every woman is such a bitch."

Chat Noir looked on her and looked like being lost in mind.

"I know, just, it was… …erm… …surprising…"

"Sure," nodded Ladybug. "There is something else I wish to consult with you."

"Yea?"

"I found, there's boy, who decided to help us to figure out, who is Hawkmoth. So I'll go to visit him to check, what he found."

"Is it reasonable, m'lady?" asked Chat Noir. "What if that boy would try to do something?"

"I'll go there as Ladybug, he could hardly overcome this costume without having his own superpowers," she smirked. "And I believe, he deserves visit of that prettier of both of us."

"So why do YOU go there?" said Chat Noir with wicked smile.

Ladybug just laughed and yo-yoyed away.

Chat Noir found safe place:

"Plagg, claws in!"

Once Adrien again, he checked on his phone Ladyblog. There was no information about his investigation, as well as about another investigation, only some new rumors…

Yes, there is always possibility, there is another boy, who tried do same investigation, as he does, but there is an easy marker – if Ladybug would appear in his room soon, she is most possibly from his school, maybe even from his class…

"Euro for your idea!" said Plagg.

Adrien offered him Camembert, what small black creature of Destruction literally sucked and after that Plagg hided in his usual place in inner pocket…

Who could be Ladybug? Adrien ate baguette relatively slowly, so he did not finished it before return to school. He observed surprised face of Marinette, who observed baguette in his hand. Why does she look surprised? Moment!? Could Marinette be Ladybug?! She has same body type, same height and even same color of eyes. And her character is also similar, Adrien himself announced her as Everyday Ladybug. Could things be just SO simply?

When last lecture finished, Adrien stopped her:

"Marinette, I'd wish to talk with you!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5)

"W… what… what about?" asked Marinette.

She expected either his 'accusation' -"You are Ladybug!"- or his declaration -"I am Chat Noir!"-, so his words surprised her:

"My father has an offer for you?"

"O… o… offer?"

"Yes, he said, you are really talented fashion designer and he is thinking about hiring you as freelancer designer."

"Freelancer?"

"Yes," Adrien nodded with smile. "He said, I have no talent, well… He's right in it. I can recognize, what is good. I can model it, but in fact well-trained baboon could do the same work too."

"Y… you look better, than baboon!"

"Thanks Marinette! But truth is, I'm in fact unable to invent something really new. We should go to your parents."

"M… my par… parents? Why?"

"When you will hold talks with my father, you would need some backup on your own. I'm supposed to be loyal to my father, so I can't simply say – Mr. Agreste, you cannot consider designs you did not pay for as monopolized only for you. I mean, if my father would not buy an design you invent, you should have in contract special exception. Designs Gabriel Brand will not agree to buy, you have right to offer to anybody and that you can do designs for you, for your family members and maybe two or three closest friends. On the other hand, my father would such suggestion expect from your mother, whom he considered to be wise, not from me."

"I… is it the only reason for your suggestion now?"

"No," said Adrien. "That way we could see each other a bit more often. It's always lovely to see you."

Marinette almost fainted.

"So do you agree, Marinette?"

She frantically nodded several times.

"Fine, calling my father… crap… he has voicemail there, as usual. OK, I'll try Nathalie."

Adrien looked nowhere focused. After short moment he smiled:

"Nathalie, fine. You remember, my father wanted to hire Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng as freelancer designer? Yes, that girl, who create that hat with feathers. I'm just negotiating with her, but I guess, her contract must be countersigned by her parents."

"You're right Adrien," said Nathalie. "I'll instruct your bodyguard to drive you both to her place. Negotiation you can do yourself. I hope, they'll agree to come to our place today, so your bodyguard will transport whole group. I'll prepare some treats. Your father could be free for some twenty minutes in one hour or so, so after your arrival I'll help you with administrative details before he could join negotiation. I believe, you'll do good job."

"I hope so, bye Nathalie," answered Adrien.

"W… what?"

"Well, we are invited for negotiation to our place," said Adrien. "Once I cajole your parents to agree talk with my father and with Nathalie. Well, there's a bit problem¬…"

"P… problem?"

"Nathalie insists on our going to your place in my father's car with our bodyguard. I'd prefer to go there walking, but well… for security reasons…"

"I… it's OK, A… Adrien…" Marinette stared in disbelief.

-What the heck that means?!-

"Fine, Marinette, our transport is here."

Alya with Nino observed them both totally confused. Adrien helped Marinette into car and they left.

"Come, Nino, there's something weird!"

Nino was sure, something strange was in Alya's head, but if he wants some 'benefits' with Alya, he should follow her instructions. Thanks to heavy traffic jam they had no problems to follow Adrien's father's car. Car stopped in front of Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. Adrien said something to his bodyguard, who stayed in car.

Marinette together with Adrien came inside.

"Hi mama," smiled Marinette.

Outside of bakery…

"What do you think, is Marinette pregnant?" asked Nino stupidly.

"Clean your brain, Nino!" barked Alya. "Adrien is plotting something, what's almost unbelievable, but I see it on my own eyes!"

Same time inside…

"Hello, Madam Cheng," greeted Adrien. "Nice to see you."

Sabine observed Adrien, with silent question hidden in her smile.

"Hi Adrien, nice to see you!" she invited him. "Sabine is enough. Is there some schoolwork you are going to do with Marinette?"

"I'm not sure," said Adrien and turned to Marinette. "Marinette, would you need my help with homework?"

"N… not necessary," said Marinette. "Is papa home?"

"Sure, but what's up?" Sabine looked confused.

"Can I buy some four croissants?" asked Adrien. "My bodyguard waits in car and it's unfair to him feel that nice smell from your bakery hungry."

"Sure," smiled Sabine and in moment she passed him a bag with four croissants.

When Adrien left place, she turned to her daughter:

"So young lady, what is it about?"

"Mama, Adrien said, his father wants to hire me as freelancer designer. But my contract must be countersigned by you and by papa."

"What does that mean?" Sabine observed her daughter with attention.

"I could work for one of most recognized designers and got paid for it and also be with Adrien… Maybe he could…"

"Fall into you?" asked her mother with helpful smile. "Do you really want that? I mean you yourself for yourself…"

"I do," whispered Marinette.

"Fine, let's talk to that fashion mogul," nodded Sabine. "TOM, COME HERE!" she shouted.

"Is something wrong?" asked Tom. "Marinette, whom do I need savage to death?"

Same time outside of bakery…

"At least he feeds his pet Gorilla," said Nino, observing Adrien with croissants.

They both stood on opposite side of bakery and observed both Agreste's car with (a little bit less) frowning bodyguard, and Adrien, interrogated by both Marinette's parents.

"Heck the pet!" whispered Alya. "Seems to me, Marinette's father gives Adrien hard time."

Inside…

Marinette several times breathed in and out.

"Adrien said, his father wants to offer me contract. I would work for Gabriel Agreste as freelancer designer."

"And you could see Adrien without other schoolmates," added Sabine.

Speaking of devil, Adrien just came inside.

"Did you explain them, what's the problem?"

"Not everything…"

"OK," Adrien smiled. "Marinette should have in contract special exception. Designs Gabriel Brand will not agree to buy, she will have right to offer to anybody. And that she can do designs for herself, for family members and for closest friends. I believe, the best would be, if madam Cheng would ask for that. My father would expect that from wise mother. By the way, Marinette, you'll need sketch-blocks to show your design to my father."

"S… sure, Adrien!" she squeaked and ran up to her room

When their daughter left the place, both her parents focused on Adrien.

"And what profit would you have from that?" asked Tom. "There's no such thing as free lunch. Why do you recommend that, in fact against your father?"

"In future, when I'll be responsible for Gabriel Brand, I'll need somebody with talent for design, loyal to me. I have no talent myself. People like Audrey Bourgeois are not scarce phenomenon in beauty business. It would be nice to have covered back…"

"So, I believe, Mr. Agreste will have more to say to it," said Sabine. "Are we expected there today?"

"Sure," nodded Adrien. "Is it a problem for you to go there? Nathalie, I mean Miss Sancoer, my father's assistant, promised to prepare concept of contract. My father is busy now, but in hour or so he'll join us, Nathalie promised. She promised also some treat, but, well, do not except too much."

"Why?" asked Tom. "Your father is sick or tight-fisted?"

Sabine gave him dirty look and stared daggers on him.

"Well, Mr. Dupain, imagine scribbled plate from horticultural exhibition," smirked Adrien. "My father strongly believe in healthy-living-style, in sense expect him to offer something fancy, expensive and inedible."

Everybody laughed on that explanation.

"So let's go!" said Adrien, observing Marinette with sketch-blocks.

Tom grabbed his hand and cornered him for a moment. He placed his big hand on Adrien's shoulder and neared it to his neck.

"I really hope, you do not trifle with my daughter's feelings," he whispered to Adrien's ear. "Are you good boy or spoilt rich brat?"

Adrien remembered well, how overprotective Marinette's father was after akumization as Weredad.

He smiled on Tom and moved his hand from own shoulder. His answer was also whisper:

"Trust me, I respect your daughter and I love her. I love her as my good friend for sure and maybe even more, I simply don't know yet. I respect your need to protect her, but Mr. Dupain…"

"Tom is enough."

"But Tom, do never ever try this again, if my bodyguard could see that," explained Adrien. "I'm myself tolerant, but he's drilled to be overprotective to protected person and could seriously harm you before I'd be able to explain him everything. And… well… my parents did their best not to let me be spoilt."

When Tom observed Adrien's bodyguard, he recognized for first time somebody potentially really dangerous…

"Tom, you must sit here!" showed him Sabine to seat next to driver. She placed notice 'SORRY, WE ARE CLOSED' on bakery door.

Adrien's bodyguard frowned on Tom and Mr. Dupain came to understanding, why everybody name that man 'the Gorilla'…

Agreste mansion was built to make impression on visitor, rather than to be comfortable for living. In needlessly big and pompous entrance hall Nathalie Sancoeur looked almost being lost.

"Madam Cheng, Mr. Dupain and Miss Dupain-Cheng, welcome here. Follow me, please. Mr. Agreste will join us later. By the way, Adrien, good work!"

Tom and Sabine observed Adrien, who looked almost avid to commendation. This boy has probably not easy time here…

They sat around table in dining room enough for some twelve people.

"Here is preliminary version of contract," said Nathalie. "It's standard contract for freelancer. If I can recommend, take it home for consulting with lawyer…"

"I believe, lawyer would hardly say anything against this contract," said Sabine. "But there is not mentioned question of unaccepted designs. There should be agreed exception, allowing Marinette to sell such a design on free market. And she also does designs for herself or us, I mean my husband Tom and me."

"That's not a problem!" smiled Nathalie. "I can include it into contract."

She used laptop and typed it into concept of contract.

"And for my friends, Alya Césaire and her boyfriend Nino Lahiffe," added Marinette, founding all of a sudden her voice.

"Fine," nodded Nathalie. "What do you think, would they agree to do some photos, just for us, so we could show, not only professional models can wear Gabriel Brand designs."

"I can ask," answered Marinette.

"Marinette," asked Adrien. "I do not remember any design of yours Nino or Alya ever wore."

"Adrien!" Marinette looked angry a bit. "I disputed that with Alya for next school dance."

She started feel more self-confident and stopped stuttering.

"OK, so it's just a question of prospective future possibility," smiled Nathalie. "OK, I see no problem include that into contract too."

That was time Gabriel Agreste managed to join. He waved on greetings and asked:

"Welcome to Agrestes'. Nathalie, how goes agreement with our guests?"

"Sir, they demand allowance to sell unaccepted designs on free market and to designs for family members and for two schoolmates, who are Miss Dupain-Cheng BFF Alya Césaire and her boyfriend Nino Lahiffe."

"Name Lahiffe I remember," said Gabriel with a nod. "He's Adrien's friend. OK. Madame Cheng, Mr. Dupain, Miss Dupain-Cheng, I guess, I can accept it. Please, don't forget, part of contract is also oath of silence. In sense, if you, accidentally or through orders, learn things belonging as part of trade secret, there is penalty for divulge it. I can even offer one benefit to this contract, if you do design on your own, you could buy material from our resources free of gross margin. Is this offer interesting for you?"

"Y… yes sir," nodded Marinette. "Would you like to see my drawings of designs?"

"I'd love to see it," nodded Mr. Agreste and Nathalie passed him Marinette's sketch blocks.

He browsed through that.

"I was right. You're talented, beyond doubts."

"Thank you, sir."

"Now, few words, before we finish our discussion for today," Gabriel observed Marinette with attention, especially her earrings. "Maybe you are eager to sign contract right now. Do not do that. For future you'd better learn, your work has its price and if it's possible, take your time to think things over. Part of art of bargaining is in reckoning of perfect timing. Do never underrate your work. I really like that idea of your logo you made on that derby hat. You should register it as your personal logo, I mean that golden line with your name flipped upside down. I informed myself about you and I found you to be talented."

He paused for a moment and took a swallow of water.

"Well, your talent is still only raw, but it's something my son unfortunately did not inherit and we can work on it. You must learn some patience and also some self-assurance. I believe, you should model some of your designs for girls. But as you were never on catwalk, for beginning it would be better, if my son would pair you during that. His arms are strong enough, so he wouldn't let you fall or embarrass yourself. Do you have boyfriend, Miss Dupain-Cheng?"

"B… boyfriend?" Marinette stared on Gabriel in disbelief. "Why are you asking that?"

"Well, your work means, you will spend quite a lot of time with my son. As far as I know, he has no girlfriend yet, his only problem is in crazy fangirls. But I'd prefer avoid a problem with jealous boyfriend of my new freelancer designer."

"I have no boyfriend now."

"Fine," smiled Gabriel. "There is soon an excellent occasion to present you to publicity. I mean Halloween Party in Le Grand Paris. As it's 23 October today, I think, we'd better present you in something already completed, you can be there as Ladybug and Chat Noir. I have both costumes from Clara Nightingale music video."

"Better not, father," objected Adrien.

"Why not, explain that!"

"First, these two are really popular, half of guests will be there in these costumes, so we'd look like copycats. And second, it's almost year ago, I grew taller."

Gabriel Agreste frowned.

"Sir, I have another idea," said Marinette.

She panicked for a moment, but composed herself quickly.

"I need one sketch-block and pencil."

Nathalie passed it to her and Marinette quickly drew something. Nathalie passed sketch-block back to Gabriel.

"It's only a raw draw…"

"No, it's good enough, I can imagine it," smiled Gabriel. "Who's that?"

"Robin des Bois* and his fiancée Marion," explained Marinette.

(*Robin Hood)

"Not that bad idea," nodded Gabriel. "Would be original, I guess. Only, that Marion's costume looks a bit like hunter's outfit from that German fairy-tale, Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel, Trois noisettes pour Cendrillon*."

(*Three Gifts for Cinderella)

"Or would you prefer something from Twilight, Adrien?" asked Marinette. "As it's for Halloween party of horrors…"

"The best thing, what to do with any vampire is to use sharpened aspen wood stick and BIG hammer to stab it into hearth," frowned Adrien.

"Not a Twilight fan?"

"Not at all."

"OK," said Gabriel. "I expect your answer, ideally in three days, Miss Dupain-Cheng…"

It was moment, when Marinette's phone started to ring and she mindlessly accepted incoming call.

"Sorry… Hi, Luka, what's up?"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6)

Marinette was not aware of everybody staring on her.

"No, just now I'm busy. What? Coffee tomorrow at four? OK…"

Now she finally realized, something went really wrong. Gabriel Agreste observed her with cold expression in face, her parents were likewise disillusioned. Adrien on other hand seemed to be betrayed for a moment, but he quickly returned to his usual polite smile.

Marinette switched her phone and hided it in her purse.

Gabriel cleared his throat and flat toned noted:

"Miss Dupain-Cheng, however I understand, up-to-date teenagers tend to be unable for living without their phones, I'd better prefer for future, if you use to consider EVERY our dispute as business moment. During business bargaining you'd learn to either switch your phone to silent mode or better to turn it off. I'm quite patient person, in comparison with Audrey Bourgeois for example. She would cancel business contract because of that and she is one of our important clients and also harsh fashion critic. As director of 'Style Queen Magazine' she's capable to destroy anybody's reputation."

"Yes sir," nodded Marinette. "Next time I'll switch it off."

"Fine," nodded Agreste senior. "Do you wish to enlist that 'Luka' into any list of… well… anything? Or our debate could be closed for today?"

"No sir," shook Marinette her head. "I'll inform Adrien, once we'll have signed contract for you."

"Fine, so do not let me detain you*," said Gabriel with strange half-smile. "Adrien, please do not forget, your tutor of Chinese language will be here in twenty minutes."

(*orig. Lord Havelock Vetinari by Terry Pratchett)

That information about Chinese tutor was a pure lie, but Adrien was not in a mood to dispute that. Together with Nathalie they escorted Marinette's family to car.

"Drive them home," said Nathalie and frowning bodyguard nodded.

In car Dupain-Cheng family stayed silent.

"Bye!" they cheered, once they were in front of bakery again.

Bodyguard incomprehensible grumbled and nodded, a second later he left the place…

XXXXXXX

"Well son, seems to me, you are disappointed a bit," said Gabriel.

"Yes father," nodded Adrien.

"There is no need to throw towel in," smiled his father. "Not yet. I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Who's that Luka?"

"A musician," explained Adrien.

"And do you let a scraper fiddler win over you? What are you, a snowflake or a man?" Gabriel frowned. "Or would you prefer another girl?"

"No, I want her," said Adrien decisively.

He decided to go for broke for a chance, Marinette IS Ladybug…

"Fine," nodded Gabriel. "So I have a deal for you. As you always say, you have no time to ask girl out, Nathalie will find time in your schedule and she'll give you also some advices, what to do and especially, what NOT to do."

"Sir, from tomorrow Adrien could have free time up to Sunday in fact," said Nathalie. "There's nothing really important till THAT photoshoot."

"Right, Nathalie," smiled Adrien's father. "The deal offer for you. I'll give you four weeks deadline. To report me, truly off course, that Marinette Dupain-Cheng IS YOUR girlfriend for future. If you screw it up, I guess, you'll need some extra lessons added. I'll be REALLY disappointed with you, if I'd discover, she'd be that Luka's sexual partner. Now she'll have just one coffee date with him and my advice is, stop it, not letting it to continue."

"You mean, like beat Luka into rounded cube?" said Adrien. "That'd be fine…"

"Well, sounds like good time option, but answer is no," frowned his father even more. "You must also watch over your public image. In necessary case, you could ask your bodyguard, where to hire some muscles without brains and send them on him. But it's just a last possibility. There could be better, if you manipulate one of heroes, ideally Chat Noir, to beat him. As I remember, he protected Marinette during her meeting with Evillustrator. You met Chat Noir personally, didn't you?"

"Yea, I did," smiled Adrien. "There are quite often akumas in our school."

"Hopefully you'll either succeed to manipulate Marinette to refuse that Luka due to her own decision, or you'll 'neutralize' him another way, not connectable to you."

Adrien shook his head in disbelief.

"I can't even imagine, how to manage that."

"Your bodyguard could help you in necessary case."

Adrien with father ate 'treats' prepared by Nathalie, deciding to name it 'dinner', in silence, however Adrien would prefer something more 'substantial' to eat…

"So, do your homework and good night son," nodded Gabriel as good-bye.

XXXXXXX

Marinette faced her parents.

"Young lady, can you explain, what was it about?" asked her mother.

"I don't understand…"

"Well, Marinette, you've more than two years continue in scheming, how to make dating with Adrien Agreste. And now his father offers you not so bad work contract, with bonus meeting your dream boy. In that very moment, you accept invitation from another boy. My dear, whom would you wish to date, Adrien, or Luka?"

"Well, mama, I don't know now…"

"You don't know?!" Tom was consternated. "Adrien seems to me as pleasant, maybe too much good in fact. I never remember you speaking about that Luka…"

"That's truth," shook Marinette her head. "I'm just confused. All the time there was nothing from his side and he suddenly came with offer from wild dream and everything looks even too good, as you said, papa."

"Girl," said Sabine with smile. "Try to decide, with who of them you'd wish to be in future, let's say after forty years."

"That would be rather Adrien…"

"I observed him," snorted Sabine. "It was only for a moment, but he looked, like if he feels being betrayed. When he returned to smile, it was fake mask."

"What do you mean, mama?"

"He smiled only by lips, not by eyes," explained Madam Cheng. "Before that he had different eye expression. As model he's used to fake smile off course."

"What should I do?" Marinette looked lost a bit.

"That's not so bad, maybe Adrien needed to feel risk of losing you," smiled her mother. "But if you want him, better cut with Luka quickly, but politely. Just drink one coffee, PAY for your one, don't let him to pay for it and off course DO NOT pay for him. It's symbolic refuse. If he would not understand, ask Adrien to bash him up."

"Mama!" Marinette gave her mother shocked look. "Are you crazy?"

"I tested him," said her father. "He's not a coward. And his muscles are stronger, than I think. Sometimes man needs to punch somebody with his fist."

"OK," nodded Marinette. "I'll discuss that with him tomorrow morning. Now, I have some homework to do…"

"Sure…" both her parents smiled on her. "Whatever you'd decide, we support you…"

XXXXXXX

"So sir, what do you think?" asked Nathalie.

"Fine, we have Ladybug together with Chat Noir here, within arms reach" smiled Gabriel. "Only we mustn't frighten them untimely."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7)

Adrien worked on his homework.

Plagg observed him and was bored. He started singing drunken traditional:

"She sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me.

But the devil take the women for they never can be easy.

Mush-a ring dum-a do dum-a da!

Wack fall the daddy-o, wack fall the daddy-o!

There's whiskey in the jar!"

Plagg's squeaky voice was disharmonic.

In that moment somebody knocked on Adrien's window…

XXXXXXX

Marinette observed Tikki, who flied around her in circles.

"That's abuse of your powers!" red kwami was furious. "There's no real need…"

"Enough!" decided Marinette. "Tikki, spots on!"

Being transformed, she hurried to Agreste mansion. As she remembered, Gabriel Agreste is suspect to be Hawkmoth, she carefully avoided every place with security cameras and sneaked there like Winnetou the Apache into Kiowa camp.

"Lucky Charm!" she whispered into night.

Spell gave her night vision device. When she used it, she observed, where cameras are placed and what they covered. Under Adrien's window her earrings started to beep.

"Tikki, spots off!"

"Marinette!" red kwami looked shocked. "Don't do that again!"

"I'm sorry Tikki, but I REALLY needed to speak with Adrien face-to-face. And how else could I go here?"

Tikki grumbled, but a moment later nodded. Marinette gave her chocolate cookie.

"So cheaply you wouldn't get it. But you're right, we'd meet Adrien. Maybe he knows something really important. I allow you to use your power to try manipulate him, for now…"

"Thanks, Tikki, spots on!"

To her surprise she heard from Adrien's room strange voice singing an hackneyed song. How the heck Adrien managed to hear THAT?!

She knocked on Adrien's window and song interrupted. Ladybug was grateful, she was sure, she could hardly tolerate, if Adrien decided to hear such a thrash…

Her 'dream boy' hurried to open window. He offered helping hand and once Ladybug was inside, he kept her in a hug. She was so surprised, that she even hugged him back for a second or so. After she composed herself, she pushed him away.

"What's that?" asked with theatrically angry voice.

"I just though, my dreams come true," answered Adrien sheepishly.

"So your dreams?" Ladybug made one step to him with mischievous smile. "So do you dream about me, Adrien?"

Adrien bended his head on left side, for better observing her. He smiled.

"I fell in love with you when you first time saved my life. There's probably nothing I'd wish more, than to date with you. But my schoolmate told me something, what unfortunately gives good sense."

"What?"

"If we two would be observed together on date, somebody working for Hawkmoth could use me as live bait to track down you. And there is also another girl…"

"Another girl?" Ladybug frowned a bit. "Chloé or Kagami? I really hope not Lila Rossi."

"None of those three," smirked Adrien. "Lila Rossi is probably mentally ill and I don't want to mess with her any way. Chloé is my friend from my child time. She was the only one of my age, whom I was allowed to speak, when I wasn't allowed to left this house. I know, she's selfish spoiled brat, but even you found something good in her."

"What do you mean?"

"You let her use Bee Miraculous," Adrien nodded furiously. "As Queen Bee she did some good job. And Kagami, well, she's better fencer, than me. If I want improve in fencing, I must train with somebody better. And that means either D'Argencourt, or her."

"So, who's that mysterious girl?"

"My schoolmate Marinette Dupain-Cheng," smiled Adrien. "I would recognize her sooner, but it was your fault."

"My fault?" Ladybug looked on him confused. "How there could be any fault of me?"

"My eyes were blinded by your picture," half-smiled Adrien. "I later found that, I even named her as 'Everyday Ladybug'. Unfortunately I'm probably late…"

"Late for what?" asked Ladybug.

"Someone else found that too, how marvelous she is," Adrien made sad face. "Marinette seems to be in love with Luka Couffain, that blue-haired excuse for musician."

"You think so?"

"Well, she accepted his invitation for coffee date. What can I do now? Maybe, if I help you to find, who Hawkmoth is, I could have chance with you?"

Ladybug laughed.

"A bit conceited, aren't you?"

"Maybe," nodded Adrien. "I guess, you're here for this paper."

He found inside of his schoolbag paper with notes about Hawkmoth. Ladybug made a photo by her yo-yo.

"Effective tool," said Adrien, pointing on it. "May I ask for something?"

"Maybe," smiled Ladybug. "But right now no date invitation."

"I have on my mean something totally different," Adrien frowned. "There is possibility, my father is Hawkmoth."

"I know," Ladybug was serious. "But he was akumatized…"

"Same as Queen Bee, Rena Rouge or Carapace. They are miraculous holders and they were akumatized even against their will. IF my father really IS Hawkmoth, he could have preprogramed akuma and used it voluntarily. There's another problem…"

"What problem?"

"Maybe I'm selfish, but I don't want be known as son of supernatural lunatic, terrorizing Paris. So if he's really Hawkmoth, could you think about punishing him without authorities involved into?"

"What do you mean?" Ladybug was even more confused. "You mean left him continue with akumatization of people?"

"No, I mean…" Adrien had evidently problems to find proper words. "My father is wealthy man, with influence. He uses expensive first-class lawyer, Doctor Bornish. He could hardly be sentenced without proper evidence in an kangaroo trial like an TIR driver from eastern Europe."

"Did you say Doctor Bornish?" Ladybug interrupted him. "I remember that name."

"Sure. Advocate of rich and influential VIPs. His attorney's fee is pretty expensive fun. But he's worth of each euro you pay him. I can easily imagine him asking at court: 'So you say, in this small gadget is magic capable to force somebody act as villain against his will? How would you wish to demonstrate such a nonsense? And what is evidence? Statement of masked teenager, whose identity is unknown? Whom are you kidding? We're here adult persons, not children, to believe in such stupid fairy tale.' That's one facet of problem. Another one is, if he's really sentenced, well… All my father's property, including this place and Gabriel Brand would be confiscated to pay for damage he caused. I planned university studies, but with such background it would be nearly impossible. You can buy happiness for no money, but it's much more comfortable be unhappy with, than without it."

"A little bit selfish point of view," said frowning Ladybug. "What would you wish me to do? Kill your father or what?"

"There's always a risk of such a scenario in fact. I rather though about confiscating his miraculous and somehow force to reform."

"I can dispute that with other heroes, but I'm not going to promise anything."

"Sure, that's more, than enough. Damn, if only you and Marinette are one person. My life would be so much less complicated…"

Before Ladybug was able to decide to reveal, she IS Marinette, there was knocking on Adrien's room door.

"Adrien," Nathalie asked. "Your father needs you for a word."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8)

"How are you so sure about their identities, sir?" asked Nathalie.

Gabriel opened an a bit outdate laptop. After his gesture she looked on screen.

"FBI Face Identification Software," explained her boss. "Simplified, so it works on this old machine, without contacts via internet for updating as well as for snooping."

"I supposed, this software is only for governmental law-enforcing agencies," nodded Nathalie. "Isn't that illegal?"

"Maybe a little bit," smirked Gabriel. "But it's not an original program, just a modified version of that. One IT-specialist has teenage daughter with good and expensive taste for fashion. A price of that was one fancy prom-dress. A really good one, I must say. I said that good father, I need it to compare faces of models with photos from masquerade balls…"

Nathalie smiled back. That explains one recent book entry in accounting, where one dress was indicated as barter for software improvement. So here it is…

"So?"

"So," smiled Gabriel wider. "I compared photos of Chat Noir and Adrien. Confidence of sameness is calculated as 74 percent. Once I found Adrien's interest in Miss Dupain-Cheng, I compered her photos with Ladybug. The confidence here is even 81 percent. Well, there is still some gap, court of justice would hardly accept it, but for my need it's enough."

"Did you compare your own photos?" asked Nathalie.

"With Hawkmoth's?" shook his head. "Yep, I did. My mask is evidently better, confidence is only 63 percent. But my son hardly has access to this software, I believe."

"And what about Adrien with Chat Noir side by side?" continued Nathalie.

"You mean this photo?" asked Gabriel, showing photo made by street security camera. "I think now, Adrien tricked one of his fan, boy same tall, to wear this helmet. To fix Adrien's photo inside is quite easy and thanks to glass shield it's easy to hide, it's only photo. I guess, Adrien recruited that boy, manipulated him to act like Adrien and after that he himself got transformed into Chat Noir."

"Did you find also another heroes, like Rena Rouge for example?"

"Sure. Rena Rouge is Alya Césaire, who runs Ladyblog, with 79 percent confidence. Carapace is problem a bit, but I believe, in real he's Nino Lahiffe, however in his case confidence was only 67 percent. Chloé Burgeois we know, but I used her as test, she was confirmed with 84 percent confidence. But we'll not need them, maybe as leveler for intimidate Chat Noir and Ladybug to cooperate."

"So," nodded Nathalie. "What's next? Will we confiscate their Miraculouses?"

"Only if it became necessary," said Gabriel. "Once I know their identity… I'd rather prefer use corruption, than violence against my only son."

"Are you going to corrupt Chat Noir and Ladybug?" shrieked Nathalie. "Sir! How?"

"Everybody has his price," Gabriel's voice was emotionless. "You only need information to determine that price."

"And do you know it now?"

"I believe so. Adrien could appreciate return of his mother and confirmation of Ladybug's identity. I'm sure, Adrien as Chat Noir has really big crush on Ladybug. According my information Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng has also big crush on Adrien. So Ladybug's price could be future with him. When I play it well, everybody win in fact…"

Nathalie doubted it, but decided not to say it.

"And your price is, sir?"

"My family, that's quite obvious!"

-IF ONLY you are not so blind to understand, I AM in fact also part of your precious family,- thought Nathalie.

"I have one suggestion, sir."

"Yes, Nathalie?"

"Allow Adrien come to school like normal student, without bodyguard and car. That could make impression on Chloé Burgeois. But I don't think, it works well on Marinette. I can instruct his bodyguard to be close for case of necessity. If Adrien is really Chat Noir, he's more, than capable to protect himself."

"I don't like it, but maybe you're right," frowned Gabriel. "OK, Nathalie, say Adrien, I need to speak with him."

"Will you use akuma tomorrow?" asked Nathalie.

"Yep," nodded Gabriel. "I wish to akumatize that Luka, as he tried to thwart my plans. And as there's still the gape of possibility that Chat Noir is someone else, not my son. I'll akumatize somebody in school, to give Adrien either chance either for alibi or for contact true Chat Noir, if I'm wrong…"

XXXXXXX

When Adrien turned to Ladybug, he observed her disappearing in window and waving for good-bye. He waved too. Ladybug disappeared in darkness.

She aimed to Master Fu place, as she felt need to consult with him.

Before his door Ladybug de-transformed. After knock Master Fu opened his door so quickly, that she again thought about his ability of telepathy.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," smiled Master Fu. "What a lovely surprise. What would you need now, so late?"

"Master Fu!" Marinette was unsure, how to formulate her question. "I think, Chat Noir found my identity, or he at least suspects so. And I think, I also know, who he is."

"OK," smirked Master Fu. "I'll not reveal your identity to each other, at least till Hawkmoth is in game. But tell me, what happened."

"I believe, Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir. I love him for a long time, but he never payed attention on me it that. Well, not until now. He came to me, invited me together with my parents to their place and his father offered me a job I really, really want to accept. But, why he did that? I visited his bedroom as Ladybug…"

"Did you visit bedroom of boy you proclaim to love alone, in night?" Master Fu faked to look shocked, in few seconds he burst in laugh. "In a skintight costume? Excuse me for teasing, Marinette, but maybe there is the simplest possible explanation. You both are teenagers. It means, you're both able to change your mind in a minute, thanks to hormonal storm…"

"I'M NOT HORMONAL!" shrieked Marinette, just to calm down in a second.

Master Fu only smiled on her.

"You're excellent Ladybug and Chat Noir also does his job pretty well, so where's the problem, I don't understand yet."

"But, what if Adrien loves me because he KNOWS I'm Ladybug. I want him to love me because of me…"

"I'm sorry to say that, but there is something, what's named Observer effect. You simply can't be sure of that any time. There's always risk, if, and it's a big 'IF', he really knows that. So the only chance is, tell yourself, do you want to date him or not. Do not ask unnecessary details that would only spoil everything."

"So you recommend me to date with Adrien?" Marinette stared on Master Fu.

"If you want it, I see no harm. But if you want to ask me, whether he is or whether he is not Chat Noir, I will NOT answer that question. Nor Tikki will do that, nor Plagg. Only remember please, even men have feelings. We feel for example hunger…"

"OK," nodded Marinette, once she stopped laughing. "There's another problem. Adrien suspects his father to be Hawkmoth and he asked me, to solve the problem with him without authorities involved."

"Hummm…" Master Fu made pensive noise. "If nobody dies till you with Chat Noir and allies obtain Hawkmoth Miraculous, I'm good with that. Miraculouses holders usually tend to act hidden in shadows, without extra publicity. That works usually better, if too many people do not know too many information, if everything is kept hidden in mist…"

"OK, Master Fu," smiled Marinette. "I'll dispute that with other Miraculouses holders to make decision together."

"Once you know, it's time for that, come for other Miraculouses. Now good night and sweet dreams, Marinette Dupain-Cheng…"

XXXXXXX

"So, father?" asked Adrien. "What's up?"

"I never told you, but there's something you should know. My grandfather, your great grandfather, was a member of La Résistance. He was true hero, who fought even in time, when his neighbors collaborated with Gestapo. Remember, in war and in love, anything is allowed. And no battle is really lost, until you accept being defeated. Nathalie recommended me to allow you to go to school without your bodyguard. Do YOU agree with her?"

"I do, she's right. Why do you decide that right now?"

"According Nathalie your chances with Miss Dupain-Cheng would be that way better. I'll instruct your bodyguard be ready to come help you. Better wear an sweatshirt with a hood and pair of sunglasses tomorrow."

"OK, father," nodded Adrien, this time pleasantly surprised.

"And for case, things would go… errmm… out of hands, literally meaning… here you have," said his father and passed him a box of condoms.

"WHAT?!" to say, Adrien was shocked would be big underrating of his consternation.

"Well, I wish to have grandchildren, one proper day," smirked Gabriel. "But not right now. Good night, Adrien!"

"Good night, father!" Adrien's voice was flat and expressionless.

Nathalie escorted him to his room. On the way she wrenched that box from his clenched fingers. She examined it.

"As I suspected," snorted Nathalie. "Almost one year expired. Adrien, that's really not a good idea your father has. Better hide it somewhere and don't allow Marinette to see it."

"What if…"

"If 'things would go out of your hands' or if SOMETHING happens?"

"That second if…"

Nathalie gave him quick-witted smile.

"OK, if SOMETHING happens, you'd marry Marinette and I believe, you'll be great father. And if Gabriel says something, tell him, he gave you expired goods and it ruptured 'during action'. I hope, he'll think better of it."

She observed genuine smile Adrien gave her.

"Look Adrien, you're clever boy. Remember, use as many compliments towards Marinette just to make her a bit more self-confident. If woman trusts, she is beautiful, she'd mostly look better. Well, at least, I believe, in her case it should work. And off course, use plausible compliments. Invite her for lunch somewhere…"

"Thanks. Good night, Nathalie!"

"Good night, Adrien!"

XXXXXXX

Plagg observed Adrien during hiding that damned box deep in lowest drawer of his table.

"He's idiot," snorted kwami.

"I rather worry, he could be Hawkmoth," answered Adrien.

"Really?!" small black creature of destruction looked surprised. "Master Fu didn't warn me. He probably doesn't know yet about this your suspicion."

"Plagg, during your existence, you participated in storming of fortress, didn't you?"

"Sure, many times, on both sides, helping defenders as well as invaders, and also in both situations, with winners as well as with losers. Why are you asking right now?"

"If my father is really Hawkmoth, there must be some hidden place, some 'Chamber of Secrets' and I have no fu*king idea, where. I'd need an kwami with ability to search for hidden things. I believe, you know another kwamis and you could recommend, whom to activate."

Plagg smiled on Adrien.

"Now I wish to have here Ladybug's kwami," he said. "I can see, you are maturing to clever young man. There are two good candidates. Barrk, connected to Dog Miraculous, who could scent out hidden, or better Roaar, connected to Tiger Miraculous, whose power is in finding hidden prey."

"That looks like exactly what I mean!"

"Fine, young hero," smirked Plagg. "But who will be his holder?"

"I need to think it over."

"Think it over really well. That power needs to be adjusted by loyalty to you and to other Miraculous holders."

"You're right," said Adrien and finished his homework. "Now we have another agenda."

"Which one?" question was with visible suspicion.

"Plagg, claws out!" ordered Adrien and as Chat Noir he left his room into night…

XXXXXXX

"What do you think, Tikki?" asked Marinette.

They just arrived form Master Fu's place. Girl started work on her homework and scolded on it.

Knock on her window did not surprised her that much, as she almost expected it.

"Hello purrincess, good evening," said Chat Noir with Cheshire Cat grin on his face.

Marinette sighed a bit, but invited him in…

XXXXXXX

Chat Noir observed Ladybug, once he heard zipping of her yo-yo in darkness. He ducked and covered himself a bit, just another shadow amongst shadows of night…

As he expected, Ladybug landed on roof of bakery. He tried to use his staff as spy-glass, but he did not observe the moment of her transformation back.

"You're really good m'lady," smiled. "But maybe I'm better."

He waited some five minutes or so, observing, how Marinette struggled with her homework.

He silently landed on her trapdoor and knocked on window.

Marinette's face expression was priceless.

"Hello purrincess, good evening."

"Not that I complain, but right now I have a problem with my homework and having boy in black leather skintight costume is not much helpful."

"Am I distracting you?" Chat Noir smirked, but came to look, what's the problem.

"OK, here, here, here, and also here are mistakes," he showed and started to explain.

Once he was explaining physics and mathematical problems, he forget to make stupid jokes. Marinette observed him better. He was really so similar to Adrien…

"Fine," smiled Chat Noir. "Tomorrow it should be good. Good night, purrincess. I believe, I deserve one small kiss," with these words he quickly moved to her and kissed her forehead.

Marinette gasped for breath and observed Chat Noir on his escape.

"Good night, silly kitty!"

"I believe, I proved myself to be clever," smirked Chat Noir.

"In math maybe. See you another time…"

XXXXXXX

When Adrien de-transformed in his bedroom, Plagg started to laugh and sing, with disharmonic voice, just another traditional:

"Black is the color

of my true love's hair

her lips are like

some roses fair

she's the sweetest smile

and the gentlest hands

and I love the ground

where on she stands."

"Shut up, Plagg!" said Adrien. "Tomorrow we can expect at least two akumas."

"Why do you think?"

"If my father is really Hawkmoth, he would use somebody in school, just to give me chance to contact Chat Noir. Maybe he suspects me to be Chat Noir, he's not stupid. And second candidate is Luka."

"Yea, blue-haired excuse for musician," laughed Plagg. "Buy me some extra Camembert. Maybe something for quick energy for you, like some chocolate bars…"

"OK, good night, Plagg!"

"Good night!"

XXXXXXX

Master Fu observed Agreste mansion. He had mixed feelings. Adrien is good Chat Noir and Master Fu had no idea, his father could be Hawkmoth. Now things could go tricky way quite easy. But they had to try got Hawkmoth's Miraculous, even by price of broking some family bonds and home peace…

This morning Adrien came out much sooner, than usually. Master Fu told to himself, he's lucky to come sooner, thus he could contact boy before school. Family bodyguard came few moments later, sat into car, but stayed on place and Adrien, hiding his blond hair under hood of dark grey sweatshirt and eyes under pair of really big sunglasses.

Things looked different that morning. Master Fu suspected, it's going for some quick changes to happen. Hard to predict, whether good or bad ones…

Adrien came on his way for some shopping. Master Fu observed, he purchased several portions of Camembert, hermetical Tupperware dose and some chocolate.

-It seems, boy gets ready for fighting today,- thought Master Fu.

Once there was no witness to observe or listen in, he came to Adrien.

"Good morning Chat Noir, we need to talk!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9)

"Master Fu!" Adrien smiled. "Nice to meet you! I expected to see you rather tomorrow."

"I do my best to act unexpected way, it could keep you alive a little bit longer, young man."

"Fine," nodded Adrien. "Could we speak it on my way to school? I have strange feeling. Today there will be akuma attack."

"Why do you think so?"

"I suspect my father to be Hawkmoth. And as there are some plans my father schemed, in which akuma would be helpful. I think, he'll use it."

"What plans?"

"Well, that's complicated a bit," frowned Adrien.

"We have time," smiled Master Fu.

"In fact not that much," protested Adrien. "Only if you agree to continue a bit another way," he switched to mandarin Chinese. "There's girl. As usual… And she's going to have a coffee date with another guy. I think, I slowly come to love her. I also believe, she's Ladybug."

Master Fu smiled:

"So I'm your Chinese tutor right now, again?" as native speaker he had less problems with language, but he admired quick mind of his ally. "But why your father, as Hawkmoth, would send akuma to school?"

"He wants me to date that girl too. Well, for his own purposes, mainly because she's really excellent fashion designer. And during akuma attack I could ask Chat Noir to bash up that other boy black and blue."

-Interesting, Ladybug said nothing about that other boy,- thought amused Master Fu.

"So, that's why you were shopping?"

"Sure," Adrien nodded. "Plagg needs Camembert for energy and I need Plagg for effective battle action. By the way, I'll need activate Tiger Miraculous soon."

"So you have also a plan?" asked Master Fu.

"I think I have a cunning plan," nodded Adrien.

"Is it as cunning as a Fox that used to be professor of cunning at Oxford University?*" was inevitable question.

(*– orig. from Blackadder Series)

They both laughed after joke…

"I hope, you don't demand on returning Miraculous after what happened?" said Adrien.

"Now, you've doing excellent work as Chat Noir, even better, than I expected, so I believe, you deserve for some bonus."

"Like having a piece of happiness with Marinette?"

"If she's good with that, then yes," Master Fu's smile was even wider.

"Fine, we're too near to our school, better if nobody see us talking together, even in Chinese. Seems to me, there's somebody after me and I don't think I'm paranoid."

"Even if you are paranoid, there still could be somebody after you…"

XXXXXXX

"I was with Chat Noir on evening date on roof and I caught a cold," fabled Lila, who returned after almost week long absence. "Off course, that's something I can't tell Miss Bustiere…"

"Like romantic date?" asked Rose goggle-eyed.

"Hardly so!" snorted Chloé. "What day was it?"

"A week ago," said Lila, a bit bewildered.

"Sabrina, show her!" ordered Chloé after burst of wild laugh.

"That day they together with Ladybug caught akuma naming herself Sphinx," smiled Chloé's 'personal assistant'. "I doubt, he would have ability to be on two places in one moment."

"Basic rule for lying is credulity of such falsehood," smirked Chloé. "My schoolmates are mostly silly, but not that silly…"

"You don't trust me!" shrieked Lila and with cry escaped from classroom.

"Was that necessary?" asked Alya.

"If I shouldn't use a hammer to beat some reason into her empty skull, yes, it was totally inevitable," Chloé was self-satisfied.

"She could get akumatised," said Alya.

"Nothing new with this shrew!" Chloé gave her arrogant smile. "Don't worry, I'm heroine, I'll save you."

Adrien observed that with his usual unconcerned smile. His hope was rather in fact, Marinette was still not there. As usual, one could say…

XXXXXXX

Lila Rossi ran through school with crying. When she observed dark butterfly, she offered her ring to infection.

"Nice to hear you again Lila!" Hawkmoth's voice was sweet like a poisoned honey. "I have something for you today. Shéhérazade, they dared to dislike your bedtime stories? I give you power to give them your lesson!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10)

"So Lila, again," Nathalie rolled her eyes in disgust.

"She is so perfectly evil by herself and on the other hand so silly to understand, she is only an expendable pawn," Gabriel being Hawkmoth that moment shook his head.

"So Shéhérazade, once you say 'Once Upon a Time in Baghdad', whoever hears it, he drops sleeping. It will not work only on Adrien Agreste. I have another job for him. And as usual, I need Miraculouses of Chat Noir and Ladybug. So, show me, what you're capable for."

XXXXXXX

Miss Bustiere entered classroom and observed usual havoc. Not for the first time she thought, this is work rather for animal handler.

"On your seats! Now!" ordered.

In same moments appeared Lila Rossi in outfit similar to oriental belly dancer. Stripping away veils, there was not a big part of her skin covered in fact.

"Lila, that's exactly VERY inappropriate outfit for this school," said teacher.

"Take care everybody, she's an akuma!" shrieked Chloé and that was the last thing she did that time.

"Bonjour, ya cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!* Once Upon a Time in Baghdad," said Shéhérazade and with smile she observed, how almost everybody fell into sleep…

(*orig. The Simpsons)

"Adrien, Hawkmoth said, he has for you another job," said Shéhérazade, a bit deranged smile on her face.

"What job?" asked suspiciously Adrien.

"He didn't say," Shéhérazade with dreamy face expression moved to him.

When she was almost on contact distance, Adrien decided he must do something.

"Where's your akuma? I'll tell Ladybug and Chat Noir to help you…"

"I'll need their miraculouses," Shéhérazade's eyes were a bit unfocused.

Adrien tried to grab her right hand and twist it over her back. He quickly learned, without transformation he's no adversary for her. Shéhérazade quickly came loose and next he remembered was his being smashed on wall. He used 'hare's wisdom' and escaped…

Once out classroom he used his phone to place warning on Ladyblog:

WARNING! NEW AKUMA – LILA ROSSI AKA SHÉHÉRAZADE IN COLLÈGE FRANÇOISE DUPONT

ABILITY – PHYSICAL STRENGHT, WITH CATCHPRASE 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN BAGHDAD' SHE IS ABLE FORCE ALMOST EVERYBODY TO SLEEP

RECOMMENDATION – CLOGG YOUR EARS AND HER MOUTH

AKUMA IN UNKNOWN OBJECT

After sending that on blog he moved to nearest covered recess and woke up Plagg:

"New akuma, Plagg, claws out!"

Chat Noir used his baton as phone. No surprise, Ladybug had only voice mail.

"M'lady, I need you in school Collège Françoise Dupont. Lila Rossi is akumatised. Again. According Adrien Agreste she has ability to force you to sleep by one sentence. If you could, buy some earplugs, it would be helpful."

Chat Noir returned to classroom to observe situation, whether was the right time for his action or whether to wait for Ladybug. To his surprise he observed 'Shéhérazade' dancing in classroom in rhythm of melody no one else heard. It was more, than only creepy…

In that moment he noticed Marinette, who noticed him same moment. Chat Noir placed his index finger crossing his lips. Marinette nodded.

He quickly moved to her:

"Another akuma!" whispered directly to her ear. "She can force you to sleep by one simple sentence. Purrincess, please! Go and hide somewhere! NOW!"

"Whom?" Marinette asked also whispering.

"Lila, as usual, I'd almost say," snorted Chat Noir. "I tried to call Ladybug, but she's in her civilian self. Hopefully she reads Ladyblog, Adrien placed warning there."

"OK, Kitty, she'll be here soon, for sure," smiled girl and ran away.

-Off course, m'lady,- thought Chat Noir.

Melody in Lila's deviant mind probably changed, as she now rotate in picking up speed.

Marinette found same covered recess Adrien used a moment ago.

"Tikki, did you hear that?" asked her kwami.

"Sure, that girl needs being reformed."

"Rather ass-kicked," snorted Marinette. "Tikki, spots on!"

As Ladybug she quickly joined Chat Noir.

"So Kitty, what do we have here?"

"As you ask m'lady, I believe, you don't have earplugs," smiled Chat Noir.

"No, I just met Marinette and as she informed me about new akuma, I'm here as quick, as I was able."

"Fine, m'lady. Lila Rossi named herself Shéhérazade now. Well, costume could fit the concept of girl in harem. She could knock you down with one sentence – 'Once Upon a Time in Baghdad', what makes thinks tricky a bit."

Ladybug observed akumatised girl for a moment.

"Is she dancing?"

"The answer seems to me as obvious," nodded Chat Noir.

"It's only me, who feels it as spooky?"

"Completely agree, m'lady."

"So let's explain her one specific rule. Do not piss Ladybug."

She breathed several time in and out.

"Lucky Charm!" her catchphrase was quieter, than usually.

As respond they obtained two pairs of earplugs. Chat Noir used his pair, but once Ladybug did not observe him, he placed it to his pocket. If Shéhérazade's spell did not work on him as on Adrien, he assumed on Chat Noir it should not work either.

Ladybug showed him by gesticulation to go as first and to cover left part of classroom. Once they moved to place, they observed Shéhérazade disappeared. They made pantomimic faces of confusion, but continued in plan.

Chat Noir after enter classroom checked space hidden by door, but Shéhérazade was not there. He pointed to open window and pointed on himself like 'I'll go to check it.' Ladyug nodded in agreement and moved on right and up to find better overview. That was mistake, as Shéhérazade hided herself under bench in second row and she was quick, as akumatised villains tend to be. Shéhérazade hit ladybug and knocked her down for a moment in same time, when Chat Noir looked out of the opened window. Thankfully he heard the noise and turned just in time to observe that.

Shéhérazade removed one earplug from Ladybug's left ear. During catfight she whispered:

"Once Upon a Time in Baghdad!"

When Shéhérazade tried to steal Ladybug's earring, she got hit by Chat Noir's stick.

"No way!"

Shéhérazade tried saying her spell several times, but Chat Noir lied to her:

"Don't waste your breath! I don't hear you."

Now, with powers guaranteed by transformation it was easier for Chat Noir to overpower akumized girl and unceremoniously he banged her head towards floor several times, till she was knocked unconscious. After that he untied and removed her shoes, using shoelaces to tie her hands over her back. One of her sock he placed into Shéhérazade's mouth, second he used to bind around, preventing spiting of sock out to keep her mouth clogged. That way he disarmed her most powerful weapon in her speaking.

Chat Noir looked around and checked, everybody was either sleeping or unconscious. There was no other way, he kneeled to ladybug and cupped her cheeks.

"Sorry m'lady, I'd prefer it another way," said and kissed her on her lips.

Ladybug was probably dreaming about something pleasant, as she in first moment hugged him and kissed his back.

Surprise was strong, as once she regained consciousness, she pushed him away. Spell breaking worked. One could say, even better, than was necessary.

Everybody around (except for regain Miss Bustier and 'Shéhérazade') had their phones in hand, making photos.

"I worry m'lady, these photos will become viral," said Chat Noir.

"You bet!" said Alya with wide smile.

"Silly Kitty!" was Ladybug's usual answer.

"Don't be bad on Chat Noir!" said to common surprise Rose. "He broke the spell causing all us to sleep. It must be true True-Love-Kiss and it works only, if love is mutual."

"One may every time rely on sweet Rose's romantic mind…" snorted Kim, what caused Juleka to punch him by fist.

"M'lady, we have here still akuma to find," Chat Noir was not used to be voice of reason.

"Right!" nodded Ladybug. "But it's not over!"

"As you like it," smiled Chat Noir. "Any clue to akumatized object?"

Shéhérazade stared daggers to all vectors.

"Here seems to be a small butterfly," said Miss Bustier. "Isn't it what you're looking for?"

She pointed to one ring on Shéhérazade's right hand.

"Right," said Chat Noir.

He removed ring from clenched hand with using of some torture, but finally the ring was on floor and he could say: "Cataclysm!" and destroyed it.

Ladybug was a bit weakened and her first attempt to catch akuma failed.

"Maybe try to repair everything before catching it," smiled Chat Noir and passed her his pair of earplugs. "By the way," he turned to Miss Bustier. "I'd recommend to ask for psychiatric examination of Lila Rossi. She's probably pathological liar. Now do your spell, m'lady!" he turned back to Ladybug, ignoring angry starring of silenced ex-villain.

"You're right, Kitty," said Ladybug and threw all earplugs upstairs. "Miraculous Ladybug."

"No more evil doing for you, little akuma!" used her catchphrase Ladybug again and this time she successfully yo-yoed escaping insect. "Time to de-evilize!"

Before she was able to release butterfly, her earring beeped and Chat Noir grabbed her.

"You're to de-transform, m'lady!" he moved her out of classroom.

Miss Bustier observed Lila, whose socks, as well as shoes, returned back to more proper place and whose outfit was normal for student now.

"Lila, I'll escort you to Principal Damocles," decided teacher. "Alya, keep here order for a moment, please."

XXXXXXX

Outside of classroom Chat Noir produced entomological killing jar and placed purified akuma inside.

"Today we should meet professor Lefebvre."

"Chat, I maybe will be short of time this afternoon, do it yourself."

"OK, m'lady. Go to de-transform now."

Tikki dropped transformation literally once Marinette was around nearest corner.

"That was too closed," said kwami.

"True Tikki," said Marinette, patted small creature's head and gave her a chocolate biscuit.

Tikki ate it in Marinette's purse…

XXXXXXX

When Adrien de-transformed, Plagg laughed and flied in circles around him:

"I though, you do not beat girls!"

"She was akumatised villain!" said Adrien and clogged Plagg's mouth by piece of Camembert. "It was unfortunately necessary. But it was also in one moment funny and spooky."

XXXXXXX

In Principal* Damocles' office Miss Bustier presented Lila with clarification, what had happened in her class.

(* author's note – In Czech language word Principal means strictly circus director. Coming from what tends to happen around Collège Françoise Dupont, not so big difference here…)

"So Chat Noir recommended you to ask for psychiatric examination of Miss Lila Rossi? Interesting, unfortunately it's not in my authority to order that, I can only recommend it to her mother. I'll call her right now and ask her to come here. So now, young lady, return to your class and wait, till I'll send for you!"

XXXXXXX

Adrien met Marinette right before door to classroom. She seemed like not being ready to enter.

"What's up, Mari?"

"I've met Chat Noir, he ordered me to hide and later Ladybug told me, it's safe to return. But it's almost half of lecture late…"

"Don't worry. It's after akuma. Just let's in!" said Adrien and grabbed her hand to pull her into classroom.

Marinette instinctively interweaved their fingers together, what Adrien found as pleasant.

He opened door into classroom, where low whisper changed into total silence, followed by wolf-howling. Adrien bended his head to check, who's that idiot, wanting the class checked by another teacher in Miss Bustier absence.

He was not surprised, recognizing Kim. When Adrien moved his left hand to show him erected middle finger, Marinette grabbed his left hand and whispered to his ear:

"Ignore him!"

As that gest looked rather like she kissed Adrien, it caused even more havoc. Nino moved himself to Marinette's place, letting both to sit side by side.

Just a minute or so later Miss Bustier returned to classroom with Lila, who did not look guilty at all, rather angry.

"As big part of lecture was lost due to akuma attack, I have to ask you read at home pages 97 up to 108 and write an essay explaining importance of Jules Verne as technical and scientific visionary. You can say thank Lila kindly for that."

Chloé starred daggers to Lila:

"Oh, thank you really much, you ninny."

Miss Bustier raised up one of her eyebrows, but did not comment that.

Next lecture was mathematics, thanks to Adrien's giving her hints Marinette had better grade, than she was used to.

After English with Miss Bustier ended, teacher asked:

"Adrien, for a word!"

"Yes, Miss Bustier?"

Teacher made Adrien to move more far from other students.

"Be careful, Adrien!"

"Pardon me, Miss Bustier?"

"Once you jumping all around in black leather, be careful, I hate idea of speaking on your funeral."

"I'm really sorry, but I have no clue…"

"Stop it!" Miss Bustier looked irritated. "Off course I KNOW, you're Chat Noir."

"That must be a mistake," said Adrien, panicking. "Who else thinks that same…"

"You mean who else know?" teacher laughed a bit. "Well Missis Mendeleev knows too. She's even cleverer, that most of you here is able to imagine. The only blind here is Principal Damocles, what a surprise."

When some students, with Marinette as first neared to them, Miss Bustier said more loudly:

"If you have a romantic relation with Marinette, I have no problem with that. But please, in your free time and out of school preferably."

Marinette blushed hearing that. Adrien acted decisively. He came to Marinette and grabbed her hand again. He whispered into her ear:

"Let's go!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11)

"Where?" asked Marinette.

"May I invite you somewhere for lunch?" answered Adrien by his own question.

"My parents expect me for lunch. But maybe I CAN invite YOU, if you're not scared by Weredad. What do you think, Adrien?"

"Works for me!"

They observed Lila, who was passing Chloé.

"So you decided to be my enemy," whispered Lila into Chloé's ear during that. "You'll regret it!"

Chloé was not Marinette, to stay calm or to move back. By left hand she grabbed Lila's jacket and by right hand she slapped her face strongly enough, to make Lila sit on her arse. People used underestimate Chloé, but she was training some gymnastics and she helped as superheroine Queen Bee, so she was in fact much stronger, than people though…

"Look foxie, don't dare to threaten me another time. Ask anybody, I have no mercy with utterly ridiculous idiots like you."

Chloé gave Lila another hit by opened palm to forehead, so liary girl ended lying on floor. Chloé finally 'gently' stepped on her chest, placing her foot just between Lila's 'woman's attributes' forcing her to stay downstairs.

"Lay down!"

Incoming Miss Bustier observed scene.

"It is extremely inappropriate Chloé," said teacher. "She…"

"She got exactly, what doctor prescribed her," said Chloé without hesitation. "Miss Bustier, she's simply pain in ass and there's no excuse to tolerate her lies and threats."

"Pardon me, Chloé, she threatened you?!"

"Miss Bustier, it's just mine and her problem to solve. And I'm perfectly capable to solve it without any innocent being harmed. Right now I do pedagogy in Makarenko style."

Miss Bustier starred on Chloé, like if she observed her first time…

When Chloé observed on the other hand Adrien hand in hand with Marinette, she frowned and pointed on black-haired girl:

"You wined just only first round. We'll see, who's to win the whole match!"

"I guess, let's better move away," commented Adrien, whispering into Marinette's ear.

"True."

XXXXXXX

Hawkmoth smiled with satisfaction.

"Did she succeed?" asked surprised Nathalie.

"Off course not. But she was never expected to succeed. But either Adrien as Chat Noir will now deal with Luka the musician. Or if I'm wrong, he had good chance to ask for that true Chat Noir. Now I need use an akuma to watch over Marinette. Before Luka appears on scene, hopefully Adrien could succeed manipulate her to refuse him."

Nobody but Hawkmoth knew, there was nest with akuma colony in school attic at Collège Françoise Dupont, at least Hawkmoth thought so that time…

XXXXXXX

"Marinette, will you have time on Sunday?" asked Adrien on way to her family's bakery.

"I guess so, why?"

"I'll have a photoshoot and I'd be glad to have you there. By the way, will you agree to be my plus one, once we'll go together to Halloween party next Saturday?"

"Adrien?" Marinette was uncertain, whether to enjoy going hand in hand with him and his offers, or whether she should better demand on some answers.

She was almost able to feel observing glances from people on street…

"Yes, Marinette?"

"Why me, why now?"

"I worry, I don't get you."

"I mean, why did you decide offer me, something almost like a date right now?"

"Would you wish to consider it as date? Great! I hope, you'll enjoy time together, as I like it a lot." Adrien gave her his usual kind-hearted smile, which made Marinette almost got angry.

She punched his right shoulder by her fist, what caused Adrien laugh a bit. His smile was even wider.

"Is something wrong?"

"Arrrghh…" Increased level of adrenaline caused Marinette she lost her usual inability to speak with Adrien. "I can't understand, why did you chose me and why did you offer dating me just right now?!"

"Aha, this thing… I believe, you heard my father, when he told you not to underestimate yourself. I noticed, you're really marvelous, always caring and kindhearted. Plus, did I mention, you look really beautiful?"

Marinette, hearing that, stumbled. Adrien did not let her fall down, he quickly looped his right arm around her hips and tightened her to his own body.

Marinette frowned a bit and observed him for a while. She did not expect so fast reaction…

"Are you OK?" asked Adrien with his permanent smile. "If you need my assistance, maybe we should be together as often, as possible."

He forced her walk with his arm around her hips and she was unsure, what to think about that. Once she nodded, Adrien laughed, loosen clinch in his arm, and let her return to walking hand in hand with him.

"OK, interesting idea," smiled Marinette. "I mean being together. I could accept your explanation, why me," she made herself to calm down. "But why now, why not just year or two ago?"

"It would sound stupid," Adrien frowned a bit.

"Yea?"

"Errrmm…" he was embarrassed. "Max in fact has a point."

"Like, you are in love with Ladybug? Really?"

"Yep," nodded Adrien. "From moment she saved my life I've been dreaming about asking her for a date. I know, it sounds pretty stupid and childish."

Marinette gave him sour half-smile.

"Am I replacement for Ladybug of kind?"

"You're NO replacement! NO WAY! I just needed a bit more time to recognize the true you. And my father was surprisingly helpful one single time. So I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I mean find, whether you'd agree to date with me and also to show my father, I can arrange necessary issues."

"Sounds almost too good to be true…"

"Do you need a dark underhand tone in that? OK, I have one."

"WHAT?!"

"Yesterday during evening I had a very special visitor."

"Oh, really? Whom?"

"Ladybug," Adrien smirked. "She somehow found, I try to find out, who Hawkmoth is. Honestly say, I have no idea how could she get know. And I acted ridiculously. I tried to kiss her. She is really quick and I had no chance in fact. Well, I hope, it's not that bad, but truth is, I will always love her. Without let's name it errrrm… …'benefits'."

Marinette laughed.

"Should I be jealous on superheroine?"

"Depends on you," Adrien made exaggeratedly guilty face. "But now I really wish to find out now, whether we two could be together."

"OK, MAYBE I could give you another chance," Marinette smirked back. "But… Didn't you just forget somebody else?"

"Pardon me, whom?"

"Kagami and Chloé."

"I told you," Adrien let fall his smile. "I know Chloé from my little childhood. I know, she's really, really not perfect, but I do NOT want to down her. You know her mother, she's just coldhearted harpy. Maybe I'm sentimental, but I'll support Chloé, well, only reasonably. No dating. Not at all! Even Ladybug found something good in her. She allowed her to use Bee Miraculous. And Kagami, yep, I made a mistake with her. Just once. She's friend, maybe she wants to be even more, I'm not sure. As she's better… well… honestly, much better fencer, than I'm. I need to train with her to improve in fencing."

"You did not ask me about Luka," said Marinette. "Why?"

"Maybe I worry a bit of answer," explained Adrien. "I simply want to look into future and set mistakes from past somehow right. What happened cannot be undone. Would YOU prefer to be rather with Luka, than with me?"

Marinette noticed how Adrien sneaked out from trap she prepared for him.

"So you are not mad at me, that I agreed to meet him for a coffee?"

"I'm mad at myself, that I didn't ask you out sooner and that I did that stupid mistake with Kagami. So I only pray you not to choose Luka over me."

Marinette observed him in silence for a while.

"There's another problem," frowned Adrien. "Possible really big one…"

"And it is?"

"My father is possible well-founded suspect to be Hawkmoth. I don't know what to do, if it's really truth. I don't want to be known as son of lunatic terrorist. I asked Ladybug for a favor. If he really IS Hawkmoth, to manage things without authorities involved. I'd prefer in future do indoor work without heavy lifting* and being that way infamous would be destructive for my plans with university."

(*orig. Terry Pratchett)

"So you'd prefer rather lynching your father or what?" Marinette looked in consternation.

"As last possibility, if somebody dies in future, well, maybe. Right now, just the group of superheroes could do some kind of punishment."

Marinette made sad smile.

"And Gabriel Agreste was so long my favorite fashion designer. Why do you think, that he could be Hawkmoth?"

"He fits the profile, well, not alone in Paris. But today, when Shéhérazade appeared in classroom, her spell did not work on me. She said, Hawkmoth has another job for me. But what kind of job could crazy villain have for me?"

"Maybe you should model his new akuma outfits," snorted Marinette, what made Adrien burst in laugh.

XXXXXXX

They had no idea of being observed. Hawkmoth used akuma eyes. Marinette looked to be satisfied being with his son. Maybe they can make a deal without necessity to blackmail her…

Luka Couffain came to Marinette's class. He hoped he could invite her for lunch, just to observe, she left school hand in hand with Adrien. Luka shadowed them long enough to see blond model boy keeping HIS girl around her hips. A minute or so later rich blond boy burst in laugh. Luka's hate and jealousy were almost palpable. Hawkmoth felt it thanks to akuma. He could use black butterfly right now and turn Luka into monstrous villain, but there was no covered place for his son to hide before transformation. Before Hawkmoth found evidence, his son is Chat Noir he did his best to reveal Chat Noir's identity to publicity, but right now, secret will be more helpful for his aims, same with Ladybug.

"Plans go better, than I expected," laughed Hawkmoth. Nathalie nodded in agreement.

Master Fu observed teenage couple from position near to main entrance.

"Good job, Master," said Wayzz.

"Yea Wayzz," smirked Fu. "Chat Noir is clever enough to sustain everything. Now it's in their hands…"

XXXXXXX

In Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie Adrien admired, he was invited almost like already member of family.

"Mama, is problem, that I invited Adrien for lunch?"

"Not at all, Mari," smiled Tom.

"Do you like China, Adrien?" asked Sabine.

"I LOVE China!" answered boy. "Much better, than rabbit food our chef usually makes."

'The meat of five spices' or how it should be translated was with rice noodles and was really tasty.

Adrien made a deep bow and commented in Mandarin Chinese:

"You are really beyond excellent cook!"

Sabine smiled, but rebuked him to speak in French, so others could also understand…

When they finished with food and Adrien with Marinette helped by washing dishes, Adrien decided, they had to run back to school.

"That was amazing," said Adrien during their run.

"May I as you something personnel?" asked Marinette.

"Try it," nodded Adrien. "But excuse me, if I decide not to answer."

"OK. Did you ever try to date with modelling girls?"

"No, most of them have no brain."

"You mean no bra?"

Adrien was surprised. Marinette just made a pun.

"That's also true," smiled. "They usually do not need that."

"WHAT?"

"Well," Adrien made evil grin on his face. "Once there is nothing to be covered, why to cover that NOTHING."

Marinette tripped up and again only thanks to Adrien's quick reaction she did not fall.

"That was a really dirty joke, Mr. Agreste!" she said with overacting indignant grimace.

"But it's true. My father said, it's because big part of fashion designers are not into girls. So they prefer girl models with boyish body form."

"WHAT?"

"Well," Adrien frowned. "Beauty business is in fact dirty one, if you can look under its surface. I could say, I'm protected by my father's famous name. Plus, my father needed me to learn some kung-fu for self-defense. Once you'll be in this milieu, better stay as closed to me as possible. If I declare you as my girlfriend, most of bastards would not mess with you wrong way."

Marinette stared on him for a moment in disbelief.

"Losing illusions?" nodded Adrien. "Better this way, without really painful experience."

"I never thought…"

"Well, even the most beautiful rose has its roots fertilized with shits."

XXXXXXX

In the entrance hall of school they met Principal Damocles together with Miss Bustier talking with Lila Rossi and middle-aged woman, who was most probably her mother.

"So here we have Adrien Agreste, you may ask him yourself," said Miss Bustier.

"What's wrong?" asked Adrien.

"My daughter told me, you are her boyfriend," Mrs. Rossi was ashamed, seeing boy had in hand with another girl.

"The only moment, I was somehow closed with her, was, when she broke into my house, being akumatized as Volpina," said Adrien firmly. "Thankfully I succeeded to escape, so she used illusion of me to trick Ladybug."

"WHAT?" Mrs. Rossi looked like after cold shower. "I mean, how would you prove that?"

"Well, once Ladybug will have an press conference, you may ask her," said Adrien with stern grimace on face. "If you ask my point of view, Lila should be examined by skilled psychiatrist to determine proper diagnosis and treatment."

Adrien decided to ignore seething grimaces of both Rossis and added:

"If you could excuse us, we have another lecture in less, than five minutes, so we must hurry. I wish you to have a good day."

Principal Damocles waved his hand to show Adrien to leave the place.

They were out of hearing, when Marinette forced Adrien to stop. He looked into her eyes with untold question.

"You didn't tell them about Lila's kiss that make you sleep!" said Marinette. "Why?"

"And how do you know about that?" asked Adrien. "I didn't say about that anybody."

"Well, Ladybug told me…" Marinette was evidently unsure.

"Ach so…" smiled Adrien. "We should discuss these things better later, without necessity to hurry somewhere."

XXXXXXX

Nino turned to Alya:

"Am I hallucinating or are there coming Marinette together with Adrien like couple?"

"As I see the same, from morning something happened for sure."

Mrs. Mendeleiev entered classroom right after that:

"On your seats! Now!"

As Nino had his things on Marinette's place, Adrien whispered into her ear a bit equivocal:

"Seems we have chemistry together!"

Mrs. Mendeleiev raised her left eyebrow, seeing on him:

"Mr. Agreste, once you placed yourself so conveniently with Miss Dupain-Cheng, maybe you could help her with understanding schoolwork, so her grade could improve a little bit at least."

Adrien silently nodded.

"Fine, so who of you does know, which of Uranium isotopes is usable for controlled nuclear chain reaction?"

Sabrina, Adrien, and Max raised their hands.

"Miss Raincomprix!"

"Uranium-235. For Nuclear power plant grade 2 up 4 % is sufficient, for nuclear weapon 95 % is required."

"Thanks. What other isotopes are usable? Mr. Agreste?"

"Uranium-238, if using it as source to produce Plutonium-239 or less often 238."

"OK. So today about Transuranium elements, starting with Neptunium…"

After afternoon lectures Marinette said to Adrien:

"Excuse me, I go to broke one man's heart."

"You mean Luka?"

"Yep. Do you trust me?"

"Sure. Do you want me somewhere near?"

"Better no."

With that Marinette left place. Adrien stood for a moment, thinking about right place to transform, when Chloé moved to him:

"Adrikins, why did you chose her over me?"

"Maybe because she's not only beautiful girl, but also kindhearted person."

"But Adrikins!"

"Chloé please," Adrien frowned. "I will always support you, as we are friends as long as I remember, but I am not going to date with you. For sure not."

"If you change your mind, I'll give you last chance to come to your senses. I'll have no dance partner for Halloween party next Saturday. I know, Gabriel Brand wrote her as staff member, so I guess, she works for your father now, but she can stay on being his employee."

"Chloé, please, not that way."

With these words he left blond girl and found, Marinette succeeded to disappear from his range of vision. Help came from probably most unexpected side…

XXXXXXX

"One day soon I'll akumatize Chloé again," growled Hawkmoth.

"What's wrong?" asked Nathalie.

"She made Adrien to delay, so Marinette is nowhere to see," explained Hawkmoth.

"You have one akuma shadowing her, am I right?" said his assistant. "Now you observe him by another. Use third one as indicator, which way he should follow her."

"Remind me to increase your salary Nathalie!"

Hawkmoth made some gesticulation with his fingers…

XXXXXXX

Adrien observed well-known dark butterfly some three meters from him, slowly flying to hidden niche on his school wall.

-WHAT THE HECK!?- though Adrien in total disbelief.

But he followed moth to that place.

"Am I the only, who consider it strange?" asked Plagg, when butterfly escaped.

"Seems to me, my father is not only Hawkmoth, he possibly also knows, I'm Chat Noir, or at least he suspects me."

"It probably also means, he sent another akuma to attack Luka the blue-haired-excuse for musician," snorted small creature of destruction.

"And Marinette promised to refuse him…"

"What will make him susceptible. Sure."

"OK. Plagg, claws out!"

As Chat Noir he jumped higher up on the wall, out of sight of usual Parisians. Akuma appeared few meters from him, like if it waited for him…

After few minutes of chasing they ended close to a sidewalk café, where Chat Noir observed Marinette in argument with Luka…

XXXXXXX

"No Luka," said Marinette. "I already have dance partner for Halloween Party. So no, I'll not go there with you."

Marinette passed banknote to waitress. It was not enough for both coffee, so waitress easily understood, girl wishes to pay for her coffee herself…

Luka opened his wallet and in same moment well-known dark butterfly flied into, visibly for everybody around.

"Hello, I am Hawkmoth!" almost purred strange voice in his head. "Now, what will we do together?"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12)

"With HIM?" asked Luka, ignoring voice in his head.

He changed into improved copy of Adrien Agreste, well, a bit older, taller, more masculine, and more muscular.

"HOW DARE YOU USE POWERS WAY I DID NOT ALLOW YOU TO USE!" screamed Hawkmoth in his head.

With few twisting of his fingers, user of Moth Miraculous Hawkmoth was able to cause extreme pain in Luka's head.

Chat Noir observed scene just for a fraction of second before he ran there.

Hawkmoth was surprised. Luka in anger and pain kicked him out of his mind. He changed again into different person. Now he has an outfit of Assassin, with hood and with long dagger in his right hand.

"I'm Sicarius*!" he shrieked. "You broke my heart, I'll stab your!"

(*Sica is short sword or large dagger used in old times in northeastern Mediterranean. Literally murderer armed with dagger.)

Hawkmoth made several attempts to take control over him, but all of them failed.

Chat Noir was on scene really in last second. His staff elongated enough to push Sicarius from his potential victim.

"Marinette, go hide somewhere!" shrieked. "Did you observed, where is his akuma?"

"In his wallet," said girl. "Be careful Mon Chatton!"

"Sure!" next punch he made directly to Sicarius's right wrist, broking it. "Place warning on Ladyblog, please! And move away, now!"

Akuma was not much slowed down by fracture. To Chat's disgust, when Sicarius adjusted his hand, it healed literally on observers' eyes. Any way, he was probably weakened a bit, as he grabbed the dagger by left hand.

Chat Noir banged with his staff and broke Sicarius's left forearm.

"Seems, the only way to distract this cretin is repeatedly break his hands!" said Chat Noir. "Maybe Ladybug will not come too soon, so I could enjoy a good time!"

He made two punches, broking simultaneously Sicarius's right forearm and shoulder. This time akuma was evidently shaken more.

"M'lady?" called Chat Noir, using his baton as phone. "We have akuma here," he said address of sidewalk café. "It's Luka Couffain, akuma is in his wallet and he proclaims himself as Sicarius. No need to hurry, I have a good time broking his hands."

Sicarius, dagger in left hand again made attempt to follow escaping Marinette. Chat Noir broke both his legs.

"Here you stay!" Chat Noir continued in 'cat and mouse game'.

He divided his staff into two batons and started punching his ribbons and broking them.

"Does your band need a drummer?" asked with evil smile.

Once Marinette was out of Sicarius sight, villain focused more on fight with Chat Noir. Chat blocked attack by dagger to his abdomen by baton in his left, made half-twist, and punched again by baton in his right to break Sicarius's hand again.

On Chat's Noir back gawked woman's voice:

"Inspector Marion Barniere. What the heck is it here? Another akuma?"

Chat risked short look to that woman. For his surprise it was same policewoman, who was in restaurant yesterday during lunch time.

"This time it's a bit different," said Chat Noir and broke villain's calf bone. "He proclaims himself as Sicarius. He tried to kill unarmed innocent girl just because she broke with him. I believe, he's not under Hawkmoth's control. He did not demand for Miraculous and just keeps attacking. So I think, he should be punished for attempted murder."

"There's not enough evidence for that, Chat Noir," answered Inspector. "You might be right, but your testimony would not be enough and procureur would drop whole thing."

"OK, may I borrow your handcuffs?"

"Sure," said Inspector and passed it to Chat Noir.

He forced Sicarius to nearest chair and fastened villain to it.

XXXXXXX

Marinette had hard time to find unoccupied toilet to transform. All was either occupied or under surveillance cameras pointing on entrance. Finally she found one and after usual "Tikki spots on!" she left it as Ladybug.

She hurried to place, just to observe Chat Noir together with policewoman from yesterday, fastening akuma to chair with handcuffs.

"How get you here so fast, Kitty?" asked Ladybug. "Did you stalk the girl?"

"I followed akuma," snorted Chat Noir.

"This one?" asked Ladybug, pointing on Sicarius.

"No, this one," pointed Chat Noir on dark moth, observing situation from canvas shelter.

Ladybug caught insect by yo-yo without words now.

"So Hawkmoth sent another akuma to direct you here?" asked Inspector.

"I guess so."

"So there is no chance to prove, this idiot really wanted kill that girl you are speaking about or whether he was urged by Hawkmoth to do so."

Inspector Barniere shook her head and continued: "I really disdain man, who tries to kill a girl just because of being rejected."

"OK," nodded Ladybug. "Kitty, do you know, where is his akuma?"

"According that girl, in his wallet."

"So now you're allowed to be a pickpocket," smirked Inspector. "Pickpocket under police protection…"

"HA HA HA," said Chat Noir with bitter grimace.

When Sicarius threshed about, Chat Noir slapped him. Finally he found right pocket and released akuma from wallet.

"No more evil doing for you, little akuma!" used her catchphrase Ladybug and yo-yoed escaping moth. "Time to de-evilize!"

As there were too many witnesses, she had to release both white butterflies.

"Bye-bye little butterflies!"

"Pounded it!" Inspector decided to add her own fist to it.

When Sicarius turned back to Luka Couffain again, Chat Noir asked Inspector Barniere:

"Could you please do the paperwork?"

"As usually, stupid paperwork!" muttered policewoman, but nodded.

"WHAT?" asked Ladybug.

"Time to pay visit…"

"True, let's bug out!"

XXXXXXX

Professor Lefebvre was not alone in his lab. Together with him was little girl, Chat Noir estimated her age about ten. She was blond with short hair, dressed in costume of Chat Noir, what both heroes surprised. Chat Noir passed entomological killing jar to professor, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"Hi, I'm Corrine. Corrine Trotta. Nice to meet you! Will you sign my baton?"

Chat Noir nodded and professor passed him marker, normally used for writing on glass.

Ladybug made a picture of them both.

"You look so cute together," she laughed. "Chat and Kitten Noirs."

Corrine gave her really ugly view.

"So, what's the result, professor?" asked Ladybug.

"According plant toxins residuum chromatography, they really used Nasturtium to feed caterpillars. Butterfly seems to be a new species of Antheraea. I need confirm it by genetic test, to exclude possibility it could be a hybrid or klepton. But for genetic tests I need to say director, I'm working on an article. Will you agree with species name ladynoir?"

"Yes, we will," said Chat Noir. "I know your phone number, once it is possible, I'll ring you, that cat is out of bag."

"OK," nodded professor.

"Ladybug, are you and Chat Noir couple?" asked Corrine suddenly.

"No, why are you asking?" answered superheroine.

"Fine, if he would be without you after eight year, I'll have him," said little girl.

"And how will you find me, you don't know my name," said Chat Noir.

"But I do know who you are. Bend down, I'll tell you."

Chat Noir bended down.

"You are Adrien Agreste!" whispered Corrine into his ear.

-How is that possible, so many people are able to recognize me?!- thought surprised Chat Noir.

Panic in his grimace was observed by Ladybug.

"So she really revealed you?" Ladybug shook her head in disbelief and laughed. "Never underestimate little girls, remember Puppeteer."

Corinne starred daggers on Ladybug for a moment.

"You're not nice, Ladybug. I could forgive you, if you also sign my baton."

Ladybug burst in laugh, but signed that.

"Remember, you have eight years!" said little girl.

"Unfortunately, she's as clever as a barrel of monkeys," said professor. "Be nice little girl Corrine, or I'll not allow you catching newts on our next expedition."

"But grandpa…"

"As I said, be nice or I'll not allow you that fun!"

Corrine made kitten eyes on him.

"That doesn't work if used too often my dear," said professor with laugh.

That moment ringed both Chat's Noir baton and Ladybug's yo-yo.

"Another akuma," looked Chat Noir. "In Saint-Denis…"

"Well, this will not be nice," said professor and shook his head…

When both heroes were about to leave, professor Lefebvre stopped Chat Noir:

"Well, Mr. Agreste, one advice for future," said sotto voce. "When you're right and woman is wrong, that's the situation woman probably never forgive you. If YOU are wrong, you have chance to be forgiven, if you plead pretty. And if you're lucky and you're forgiven for being right, you must NEVER remind that to her. Remember this easy rule, your love life could be much easier that way, trust man with experience."

"How?"

"How did I figured out, who you are?" professor smiled. "I'm man of science, I pay attention on details and I recognize facts. Paris is overfull of your photos. I'm rather surprised, not so many people recognized you yet and your identity is not an open secret yet. I guess, some are simply stupid, some recognized, but disbelieved their own discovery, and some are rooting for you and remain silent."

XXXXXXX

Vladimir Vorontseff was not a happy man. He was nearing to eighty. His parents left in young age Russia, turned into Soviet Union in order to avoid Bolshevik terror. They settled in Saint-Denis and ran their antiquarian bookstore. Unfortunately, communists appeared even there and thanks to several communist mayors place became spoiled…

Vladimir stubbornly refused to left his place and sell it. On the other hand, real estate agent offered him too low price for it. His family life was dissatisfactory too. Elena, his bellowed wife died three years ago and none of his both sons spent too long time with eldering father and sternly refused to run his shop.

"Dad," said his son Alexander. "People almost do not buy books nowadays. Hard to say, whether they read them."

Vladimir was sure, once he is dead, his place will be sold for that unsatisfactory price. Time for that will come soon. According oncology specialist his lung cancer was discovered too late to be operable. Thanks to metastasis in liver and even in bones his life will end in less than three months for sure. And even this short time was not quick enough for somebody. He could reconcile with fact, his bellowed, however unprofitable, bookstore will change into just another falafel buffet. But why they need him to leave the place quicker, using even Molotov cocktails to destroy his property?

Vladimir extinguished another bottle with gasoline and heavily panted. When he observed dark wings of nearing akuma, he said it aloud: "Наконец-то!*"

(*"Nakonec-to!" / "Finally!")

Vladimir offered his crook to infection.

"Hello Old Man, I'm Hawkmoth!"

"Привет Бражник! Я Дед Мороз!*"

(*"Privyiet Brazhnik! Ya Ded Maroz!" / "Hallo Hawkmoth! I'm Grandpa Frost!")

Hawkmoth felt insulted and caused terrible pain to eldering man:

"Stranger, I do not speak language of your tribe. Behave yourself or I'll take your powers away from you."

"And that's all you are capable for?" asked Vladimir. "Trust me, my cancer pains much worse now. So we have deal, you give me powers to get my revenge and I'll try to obtain Chat's Noir and Ladybug's Miraculouses for you."

"You just try?"

"Let's be realistic, Hawkmoth," eldering man smiled a bit. "Till now everybody, you sent on them, were kick-assed. Am I not right?"

"Deal," said Hawkmoth. "So now, show yourself!"

Vladimir felt the new power, bigger, than he was used in his young age. He was wearing kaftan and papakha, both made from dark brown fur. His crook changed into a big scepter of kind, looking like made from ice.

He marched to club, where gang members responsible for attacks on him tend to come. Music there sounded to him, who was used hear rather Tchaikovsky, as something like: 'Soomeeboodyyy staaands ooon myyy baaalls!'

"What do you sniff here old infidel?" asked one of those shitstains.

"Справедливость пришла до вас сволочи!" said Vladimir and pointed with his scepter on questioner. "Русская зима! Замерзай!*"

(*"Spravedlivostj prishla do vas, svoloczi! Russkaya zima! Zamerzay!" / "Justice came to you, rabble! Russian winter! Freeze!")

Gangster was hit by wind of unbelievably cold air and froze on the spot. His accomplices panicked and tried to escape, but old man was pissed too much.

Vladimir left the place and observed incomers. Some of them though, having heavy pieces of pipe or big knives gave them chance against akuma magic…

He allowed only one of them escape. Some people made footages hidden after curtains.

That was situation, how it looked, when Ladybug and Chat Noir succeeded to come…

XXXXXXX

"When you thrashed Luka Couffain, it seemed to me like being personal from your side," said Ladybug when they hurried to action.

"Maybe a little bit," snorted Chat Noir. "I can't tolerate fucker, who tried to kill unarmed innocent girl with a knife. Maybe you'd better come a bit later. I'd do a better lecture for him. He was good guy during Heroes' Day. Being rejected by Marinette, he went bad."

Ladybug shook her head, but fell silent.

When they reach crime scene, they observed strange person in long fur coat and fur hat with a staff made from ice. Several people laying around looked like being frozen. Hard to say, whether they were alive or not…

"Чёрный кот с Жучком наконец-то подскакали!" old man said. "Кто до посоха моего коснётся, никогда не проснётся!*"

("Czornyi Кot c Zhuczkom nakonec-to podskakali! Kto do posokha moyego kosnyotsya, nikagda ne prosnyotsya!" / "Black Cat with Littlebeetle finally arrived! Who touch my staff, that will never wake up!")

"Sorry sir, but I don't understand a word!" said Chat Noir. "This man is not really charming one, m'lady," he said to Ladybug.

Vladimir did not waste time and shrieked:

"Русская зима! Замерзай!"

Both heroes dodged terrible freezing cold wind.

"What do you think m'lady, should we better use our special powers?" asked Chat Noir.

"He could escape or wreak more harm, maybe even to somebody innocent. Let's finish it as quick as possible."

Ladybug stayed so Chat Noir was like a shield between her and strange villain.

"Lucky Charm!"

Even Lucky Charm lost its temper. As answer she obtained sword with real flames on it. Lucky Vision showed her flaming sword, Chat Noir and strange ice staff of that old man.

"Time for fencing duel Kitty!" said, showing flaming sword.

"WOW!" said Chat Noir. "Really a hot stuff!"

He grabbed the hilt of sword:

"En garde!"

Vladimir sent several winds of his freezing power.

However Ladybug made her best to keep hidden on Chat's back, she was hit by one of them. Chat Noir observed her falling from the corner of his eye just in moment, when he was on contact distance to Grandpa Frost. His attack was more furious, than during normal training duels. Even Vladimir stepped back, once he lost his scepter after one strike.

Chat Noir changed hands on hilt of flaming sword.

"Cataclysm!" shouted.

When he touched staff with destructive energy, he felt for a short moment killing freeze.

Akuma leaving the staff was caught by yo-yo without usual catchphrase. Ladybug was evidently close to faint.

Chat Noir kneeled to her and placed hilt of flaming sword, hoping its heat could help her or at least everything could be fixed by her magic of creation…

"Miraculous Ladyb…" she lost her consciousness…

TO BE CONTINUED…

* * *

Владимир Высоцкий - Баллада о борьбе - окончание

Если мяса с ножа Ты не ел ни куска,

Если pуки сложа Наблюдал свысока,

И в боpьбу не вступил С подлецом, с палачом, -

Значит, в жизни ты был Ни пpи чём, ни пpи чём!

Если, путь пpоpубая Отцовским мечом,

Ты солёные слёзы На ус намотал,

Если в жаpком бою Испытал, что почём, -

Значит, нужные книги Ты в детстве читал!

* * *

Vladimir Vysotski – Ballad of Fighting – ending (translation by Alex Lvovsky)

If the meat from a blade You did not eat a bite

And your arms folded - stayed And looked down from a height

Entered not into battle Against butcher and scythe

Means that life proved your mettle You had nothing to give.

If you cleared your way with your father's sword

And your tears had dried leaving nothing but salt

If in heat of the battle found out what's what

Means your read useful books when you were only small.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13)

It was quite evident spell did not work with full power of it. Old man changed into wretchedly looking oldster with warped crook.

"Look Oldie!" said Chat Noir to him. "If she dies just do not dare to leave the slammer!"

Vladimir did not waste his breathing explaining to Chat Noir, he is not to leave prison, as he is in fact to die before trial due to his cancer…

"Поцелуй Настоящей Любви*…" he spoke in hoarse voice. "True-Love-Kiss… Young man… According fairytale it should brake the evil magic…"

(*"Potseluyi Nastoyiaszceyi Lyiubvi…")

"Well, this is NOT a fairytale!" shouted Chat Noir. "But it's worth to test…"

Chat Noir grasped unconscious Ladybug in just-married style, elongated his staff to reach the roof and there he broke into elevator engine room. The lock on door was broken long before and just corroded wire showed, where (long ago) was security camera. Ladybug's earring last time beeped and red kwami left it, just to flutter before his eyes. Chat Noir observed white butterfly, leaving disappearing yo-yo. As he had no idea, whether purified akumas are 'on-line' connected with Hawkmoth, he preferred to catch it and placed into entomological killing jar. Red kwami crashed into his face.

"You are NOT supposed to find out who she is!"

"CALM DOWN!" demanded Chat Noir and added: "Plagg, claws in!"

"DON'T LOOK ON HER!" screamed red kwami.

"Ah, shut up, Sugar-cube!" snorted Plagg. "It's either Adrien will know, or the whole Paris will know. Or would you prefer her to die and pass after that her Miraculous to Master Fu?!"

Red kwami did not answer, but looked finally rather scared, than angry.

"She's Marinette Dupain-Cheng, isn't she?" said Adrien.

"Plagg, did you tell him or Adrien figured it out by himself?"

"Tikki, this Chat Noir is quite clever," smiled small black kwami of destruction.

"How is she?" asked Adrien. "Should I take her to hospital?"

"I must check her, but I have no energy…"

"Fine, it's Tikki, right?" Adrien looked concerned. "What do you eat?"

"She's not a gourmet like me," laughed Plagg. "She prefers sweet things…"

"Like chocolate bar?" asked Adrien and produced one from his pocket.

Tikki started eat and Adrien kneeled to Marinette. When he touched her wrist, he thankfully felt her pulse, but her skin seemed to him terribly cold. He tried as old man said and kissed girl.

"Please, don't leave me!" said soft-voiced. "I really love you!"

Both kwamis stared on him.

"Do your best Sugar-cube!" whispered Plagg. "If she dies, he is really ready to savage the whole Paris to life-less little pieces…"

"I always do my best!" nodded Tikki silently. "But sometimes it could be not enough."

Boy repeated kisses, but finally without visible result.

"Adrien, I'll check her, wait a moment," said Tikki and literally plunged into Marinette's body.

Adrien observed some part of body shined with red light. It was less, than half of a minute, and kwami reappeared.

"She's better, than I was worried," said Tikki. "Nothing is damaged, the only she needs, is to rewarm slowly, to avoid heat shock. Hospital is in fact not necessary, there would stay record and they would inform police about strange case. Bathtub should be enough. Take her to her parents, her mother is wise enough…"

"Fine," said Adrien and passed Tikki another chocolate bar. "I need a favor from you."

"What?" asked suspicious kwami.

"Could you transform her? If Chat Noir would carry Marinette across the whole Paris, it would be conspicuous. If Ladybug, they would worry, but it would be less dangerous, I believe. And to go back to her home by taxi in our 'normal self' from here could be dangerous too."

"OK," nodded kwami. "Just for that once case. Say 'Tikki spots on!' and later 'Tikki spots off!' This one and only moment I'll hear YOUR orders. But Ladybug will be unable to help you. I'll need all my energy to keep her transformed and alive."

"Deal!" said Adrien. "Plagg, I have for you two news, one is good, second is bad. Good one is, here is nice piece of Camembert for you, so enjoy it."

"And that bad new?" asked Plagg.

"Just after you eat it," smirked Adrien. "I don't want to let it go down wrong way…"

"I'm ready!" said red kwami.

"Tikki, spots on!" said Adrien.

He observed how Marinette's body was transformed to Ladybug's.

"What's that bad new, kiddo?!" demanded black kwami.

"We have to run across the whole Paris really superfast!" said boy. "Plagg, claws out!"

This evening Chat Noir with Ladybug in his arms ran without halting or rest. He somehow succeeded to do it in less, than twenty minutes however he never understood later, HOW…

He ignored cameras and everything. He jumped from roof to roof, often using his staff in rope-walking way. Once he came closer to Dupain-Cheng bakery, he found hidden place without cameras and returned there, making detour. Chat Noir leaned Ladybug against the wall.

"Plagg, claws in!"

Little black creature pretended being half-dead. Maybe he even did not pretend.

"Adrien, you mu…"

Boy clogged his mouth with another piece of Camembert.

"Babbling we'll do later! Eat it and hide!"

Adrien grasped Ladybug again in bridal style.

"Tikki, spots off!"

When red kwami reappeared, Adrien gave her questioning grimace.

"She's better. Maybe I could stay hidden in her body to protect her heart for case of heat shock. You did it in good time, Adrien."

"Great," nodded Adrien. "Let's hope her parents will accept my false explanation."

He came to entrance of bakery and knocked there.

"We're closed," said Tom, but when he observed Adrien with Marinette in his arms, he quickly opened the door. "What's wrong with her?!"

When Tom let Adrien in, he shouted back: "Sabine, come here quickly!"

Marinette's mother appeared quickly.

"What has happened?"

"When Marinette rejected Luka, he was akumatized," explained Adrien. "Thankfully Chat Noir appeared and bashed that idiot up. We came together to an new ethno shop, Marinette wanted to look there for inspiration. I had no idea, there could be another akuma attack. From another street out of the blue came freezing wind and Marinette got hit. I checked her and found pulse. Taxi-driver told me not to go to hospital, as police would need her to bear witness and local Maghrebi mobsters don't like witnesses at all…"

Both her parents stared on Adrien in silence. They both observed just a few minutes ago in TV news Ladybug to be hit during akuma attack and Chat Noir escaping with her…

"She is hypothermic," continued Adrien. "She need slowly and carefully rewarm, ideally in bathtub…"

"Don't worry, I know, what I'm doing!" said Sabine and waved her hand. "Come with me!"

Sabine opened bathroom.

"From here I'll manage it. Tom, give him something to eat!"

She smirked a bit on boy: "I'm going to undress her. I understand, you'd appreciate it, but I strongly believe, she has right to chose herself, whether she wants it or not."

Adrien was red in face and literally escaped into kitchen.

Tom offered him croissant.

"Adrien, are you two Ladybug and Chat Noir?" asked.

Boy almost choked by piece of croissant.

"Tom, please, do never ask that again!"

They sat in silence for a while…

XXXXXXX

Sabine undressed her daughter and placed her into bathtub. She filled it with water only a little bit warmer, than was Marinette's body. She repeatedly removed part of water, changing it to warmer and warmer. Finally girl came around…

"Mama, how?"

"Adrien brought you here. What do you remember?"

"Luka was akumatized. I told him, I'll go to Halloween party with Adrien and he didn't accept it well. What was later, I don't know…"

"Adrien told, you wanted to see ethno shop and you got hit by a freezing wind from akuma. According him, taxi-driver recommended not to go to hospital. That taxi must came not so closely here, as none of us hear any car stopping here."

Marinette stared on her mother for a while. She knew, that is pure lie without a piece of truth in it, however it sounded believable.

Once Sabine decided, her daughter is warmed sufficiently, she helped her to dress into pajama and helped her up to bed.

"Mama, can you please ask Adrien to come here?"

"Sure, darling!" smiled Sabine. "If your father didn't tear his head away or didn't put him on flight, I'll tell him."

"Mama…" protested Marinette, but her mother only laughed.

XXXXXXX

"So, he didn't bite your head off," smiled Sabine on Adrien. "Fine. Marinette asked, if you could come to her. I believe, you know the way."

"Thank Mrs. Cheng!" answered Adrien.

"I told you, Sabine is enough," smiled Marinette's mother.

"Sorry…"

"Go!" said Sabine. "But don't stay too long. She must sleep and tomorrow she'll be not in school. Could you bring her notes?"

"For sure, Sabine…" Adrien almost ran up the stairs.

Tom and Sabine looked on each other with knowing smile…

XXXXXXX

Marinette was waiting a bit nervously. She did not know, why only should Adrien lie to her parents. The only answer is, he either was asked for that by Chat Noir, or he even is himself Chat Noir, what is simply unbelievable.

When Adrien entered her room, he widely smiled. She observed some similarities between him and Chat Noir now…

"Marinette, I'm so happy you're alive!"

He hurried to her bed.

"Next time you want to see something in territory of Maghrebi mobs, we'll ask my bodyguard to come with us."

Saying that, he sat on her bed. He did it carefully not to sit directly on her.

"To avoid problems with police, we should better say, we were on a walk near Seine and you got cold a bit."

Adrien placed his index finger on her lips to stop her saying anything. His smile was wide and a little bit triumphant. Marinette felt strange self-destructive need to remove that smile from his lips…

Boy opened one of her sketch-blocks on unused page. From one pocket he produced piece of stinky Camembert, demonstrating that way long known truth, that French cheese does not get spoiled, it only change its name…

Adrien waved piece of Camembert in air, suddenly Plagg appeared and ate it, squelching. Boy patted head of black kwami. His familiar behavior declared perfectly, that Adrien himself is Chat Noir… Wait. A. Moment! Adrien is Chat Noir?! Marinette's eyes got widened in shock.

Adrien produced also chocolate bar and Tikki zipped to accept it from his fingers. So much to chance deny, she is Ladybug. Adrien patted also Tikki's head and wrote into her sketch-block:

PLAGG, DO YOU KNOW READ AND WRITE?

Small black kwami plucked pencil from his fingers.

OFF COURSE I DO!

Adrien smiled and demanded that pencil back.

OK. PLEASE, CHECK, IF HER PARENTS ARE ON OTHER SIDE OF DOOR LISTENING!

Plagg smiled and zipped out.

"Marinette, will you agree to be my girlfriend?"

She hoped a bit for that question, well, before she found his secret identity.

"Why? Why me?"

"Because I love you!" said Adrien simply.

She stared on him in silent disbelief. Few moments later Plagg reapered:

"Coast is clear! Do you know, what is funny?"

Questioning faces of both humans and red kwami made him to answer:

"Your father asked your mother, whether you two are Chat Noir and Ladybug. Your mother is wise woman. She answered him: 'Do never dare to ask that question another time, or you'll be without dinner!' Your mother rules!"

"So YOU ARE CHAT NOIR?!" asked Marinette.

"Please, purritty please, not so loudly!" smiled Adrien. "M'lady."

"HOW ONLY?!"

"Being Chat Noir gives me more freedom I ever had in my life," said Adrien, this time serious. "And it gave me such a marvelous partner in crime, you."

"So Chat Noir is your Mr. Hyde?" asked Marinette.

"Maybe," smirked Adrien with absolutely innocent smile. "But Chat Noir is not evil and he's violent only in necessary case against villains who deserve it."

"Even Luka?"

"Even Luka," frowned boy. "Crapper, who wants to use dagger against girl deserves the worst that world could serve up to him."

Marinette starred on him for a moment, but finally she nodded.

"So you and me?" she asked.

"A couple?" offered Adrien.

"That's something I wanted so long time," smirked Marinette with a bit bitter smile. "That's why I refused Chat's flirting, as I wanted YOU. And what about you? Do you want Ladybug me or Marinette me?"

"Both," answered boy. "That time we first met, I promised to myself, I'll love the girl under mask, whoever it would be. That was why I was scared a bit, seeing Chloé in Ladybug's costume. And you being Ladybug, that means, dreams come true."

He made kitten eyes on her: "A little kiss?"

"Come here, mon chatton!"

"Adrien!" black kwami interrupted their first true mutual kiss. "You owe me a piece of Camembert as compensation for that piece I vomited right now!"

"Plagg, shut up!" all three others said…

After another kiss Adrien said:

"Try to sleep. I'm going to pay a visit to Nadja Chamack."

"Why?"

"I'll try to buy some time for us to prepare."

"Prepare for what?" asked Tikki. "I need at least one and half day to recover. Right now I can only transform Marinette, but I can do no Lucky Charm, no Lucky Vision, no yo-yo jumping, simply nothing energetically tasking."

"OK, Sugar-Cube," answered Adrien, what caused Tikki to roll her eyes. "I'll do my best to buy some time for us."

XXXXXXX

"So, it's Nadja Chamack with special entry into news. Here we have Chat Noir with his proclamation."

"Thanks, Nadja. Dear fellow Parisians, I have two news for you…"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14)

"I must interrupt you here, Chat," said Nadja. "For those , who do not know that yet. During last akuma attack twelve teenagers were frozen. They are not dead, they even awaked, once being in custodial hospital. But once they left prison, they became frozen again."

On back display was running video-loop with Chat Noir carrying Ladybug in his arms.

"So keep those bastards in slammer for necessary time!" shouted Chat Noir.

"Those teenagers?" Nadja spoke unsure.

"I mean those Maghrebi mobsters!" answered Chat Noir.

"Chat, that's not politically correct to name them such a way…"

"By political correctness you mean that strange persuasion a lot of politicians through all over the world have? Like you could hold of a cleaner part of shit?!"

Nadja wordlessly blinked several times in consternation.

"Later, well, once we'll have spare time for that, we'll look for that," said Chat Noir more calm tone. "But right now we have different, more serious problems.

"Like if Ladybug's spell did not work well…"

"But that's exactly the subject matter!" shrieked Chat Noir. "I have two messages. Good one is, Ladybug is alive with good chance to recover. But the bad new is, nobody is able to say, when she's to recover. Her magic was crippled and for next time is simply unavailable. So I have one warning for you, my fellow Parisians!"

"WHAT?!"

"As there is no purifying of akumas, our shift was cancelled for nearest time."

"That's impossible!" Nadja was upset. "That's a… a betrayal…"

"Why are you surprised?" Chat smiled on her, but in his smile was no joy. "We all are the French. N'est-ce pas?"

"What do you mean?" asked now more and more consternated TV-reporter.

"Betrayal is nevertheless French national sport," smirked Chat Noir. "Natural like breathing in and breathing out. Remember Munich 1938 or betrayal of Israel just before Six-Day war. Whoever is stupid enough to rely on the French as allies, such moron would deserve whatever would happen to him, once he's inevitably betrayed. Americans say, what does a French military alliance and a French romance have in common? Both are brief, sordid, and completely meaningless."

Nadja gasped.

"That's…"

"Well, according George Orwell, if liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

"Are you serious, Chat?" Nadja was unsure, what controversial Chat's speech in live broadcasting will provoke.

"Nadja, together with Ladybug we did quite a lot for this City, I believe. Yes, during fight in Heroes' Day they helped us a lot, but as this Hawkmoth's terror elongates, they're more and more dissatisfied with us. So, OK, let's see, what will happen."

"What do you mean?" asked Nadja.

"If we continue fight, Ladybug's spell was damaged so much, that during next battle her Miraculous will most probably lost its power for good. I don't know, why Hawkmoth needs our Miraculouses, but he can have them only as powerless pieces of historical jewelry. Scorched earth policy is unfortunately the only possible answer to his attrition warfare tactics."

"Seriously?" asked Nadja.

"Yep," nodded Chat. "I have one warning for my fellow Parisians. "If you decide to get so emotional, that you'd get akumatized, I'd go after you. Personally."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Prime Queen," made Chat Noir ugly smirk. "I mean, I'll go to kick ass of each such idiot. So before getting akumizated, imagine my boots on your arses," he gesticulated, so camera zoomed on his boots. "Hard and heavy boots, you may trust me."

Nadja looked like a fish thrown out of water, idly opening and closing her mouth.

"So, Nadja, nice to meet you and to all of you, have a meowelous day!" said Chat Noir, giving two fingers salute to camera.

With these words he left the studio…

XXXXXXX

Gabriel Agreste stared on TV in dumb anger.

"Did he lie?" asked Nathalie.

He did not answer for a moment, but two or three minutes later he moved to her:

"That's what I really wish to know!"

XXXXXXX

When leaving TV-station, three engineers with wrenches tried to corner Chat Noir in corridor. They were probably in bad mood because of his provocative speech in live TV-broadcasting and they wanted revenge for that.

Chat Noir divided his staff into two batons:

"Wanna play?"

All three engineers escaped.

When he was out of building, for his surprise he got a phone call from Ladybug:

"I need you here!" she sounded tired. "Immediately!"

"On my way, m'lady!"

When he came to Marinette's rooftop, the trapdoor was opened. Downstairs he found Marinette transformed into Ladybug, how she wore Catwoman costume over her own.

"Help me to button it up!" asked Ladybug. "Meet your new superheroic apprentice, Kitty Noir!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15)

"What are you doing?!" asked Chat Noir. "You're supposed to be in bed and make your best to recovery!"

"Thanks to your 'special action' our friends are probably scared to hell," answered Ladybug. "We simply MUST show them NOW, that WE'VE NOT BETRAYED them as we'll need their help on Saturday morning. They have to keep the team spirit and hope for victory. So NOW we go to Master Fu for more Miraculouses. From him we MUST go today to Chloé, Rena Rouge and Carapace."

"I guess, they are Alya and Nino," smirked Chat. "Am I right?"

"It was too easy to deduce," smirked Ladybug back. "Once you know my identity."

She placed on her head hat with cat-looking ears and integrated mask, covering her own Ladybug's mask.

"Now, as I can't use my yo-yo, I'll need your help to move fast," said Ladybug, giving him a croissant. "I know, you brought me through the whole Paris and I appreciate it. But now I'll simply need more. Sorry, mon Chatton."

"Your knight in shining black spandex is to your service, m'lady," said Chat with theatrically deep bow. "But I'll need to be paid for such a special service now."

"Paid?" smirked Ladybug. "How much?"

"Let's say… two kisses a kilometer?"

"Ummm…" Ladybug sounded surprised. "That demand I could take into consideration…"

Chat Noir, croissant still in his left hand, moved to her and kept her in a hug, finding her lips for a kiss. Minute or so later Ladybug pushed him slightly and breathed out and in.

"Well, this one should be valid for TWO kilometers!"

Chat Noir laughed, quickly ate croissant, and kept her in bridal style. He ran the stair with Ladybug in his arms.

"No need to show yourself, mon chatton," said girl teasingly. "But you have a good start. I'll tell you, where to go. Now this direction," she showed by her left hand and quickly kept his neck again, as Chat Noir moved pretty quickly in demanded way…

XXXXXXX

They had no idea, Sabine and Tom observed them leaving, as they heard rustling from Marinette's room.

"Not. A. Single. Word!" said Sabine, frowning a bit…

XXXXXXX

They came to Master Fu's place quicker, than Ladybug expected.

"Plagg, claws in!" said Chat Noir and as Adrien he knocked the door, Ladybug still in his arms.

He smiled wide, observing surprised face of old Chinese.

"Marinette, Adrien, nice to see you now, what's up?" asked Master Fu.

"Sorry Master, Tikki is too enfeebled, she can't do too much right now, so I'll better stay transformed now," explained Ladybug.

"That's OK," smiled Master Fu. "Clever mimicry, by the way."

"I sewed it a year or so ago for a masquerade ball, but I was too gutless to wear it," explained Ladybug and continued: "We need Miraculouses for our allies to prepare for attack to Hawkmoth's lair."

"Sure," smiled Master Fu and came to his historical gramophone to release magic box from it. He quickly entered code.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste, pick allies you can trust to fight alongside you in this mission. Choose wisely. Such powers are meant to serve the greater good. They must never get into the wrong hands. Once the mission is over, you must retrieve the Miraculouses from them and bring it back to me."

"Well, Master Fu," said Adrien. "In fact, now it will not be just one mission, rather a longer war campaign. So we'll need several Miraculouses released for longer time."

"Why, Adrien?" asked Master Fu.

"Let's hope, I'm right in suspecting my father to be Hawkmoth. And let's also hope, we'll win in one storming his lair. But there's also unknown number of free-acting akumas all over the City. Even without Hawkmoth to lead them, they can possess people in fragile psychic state. These people would be necessary to catch and neutralize. So we'll need allies for longer time, I strongly believe."

"I'm not glad about that, but I worry, you might be right."

Master Fu looked on Miraculous Box.

Marinette chose usual three Miraculouses, including Fu's own.

"I'll also need Roaar's Tiger Miraculous," said Adrien.

"Who'll hold it," asked Ladybug. "I hope, you don't mean HER!"

"Well, m'lady," said Adrien carefully. "Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't that a jealousness I hear from you now?"

"Who's 'HER'?" asked Master Fu.

"Kagami Tsurugi," answered Adrien. "I made a mistake, having few dates with her. But she's excellent fencer and warrior."

"Her name sounds me like Japanese," said Master Fu.

"Yea, she's Jap," nodded Ladybug. "And she dared to kiss Adrien!"

"She's warrior, as I said," answered Adrien. "She could be either valuable ally for us, or dangerous enemy, if Hawkmoth recruit her. I understand, why you could be upset, because she's Jap, but it's a really long time ago…"

"What are you talking about?" asked Ladybug.

"About Japan occupation of part of China," frowned Master Fu. "Dark time with a lot of atrocities…"

"I don't think, she was involved," said Adrien. "She's of my age, well, maybe somebody of generation of her great-grandfathers…"

"I KNOW, that you are right, Adrien," snorted Master Fu. "It's simply uneasy to FEEL it different. It's in fact much worse, than when Marinette accepted Chloé Burgeois as Queen Bee. That was just a student bully, but Japs acted as real monsters in China…"

"I know," nodded Adrien. "But we need somebody, who is not only enthusiastic for doing good, but who also knows something about, how to use the violence."

"Yea, Japs knew really well, how to use violence," shook Master Fu his head. "But how bitter it is, you are right, Adrien Agreste. But I need you to ask other Miraculous holders to vote, whether they accept Miss Tsurugi as their companion. And same I need you to vote, what to do with Gabriel Agreste, if he really IS Hawkmoth. It's both YOUR responsibility now, Adrien. Do you accept this responsibility?"

"I do," nodded Adrien. "I'll do my best not to disappoint you, Master."

"Well, Adrien, when I watched TV, I was sure, you're insane," said Master Fu. "Telling to your fellow citizens such terrible things about the French…"

"All I told is truth," snorted Adrien. "I'm not a politician, I do not need soft-soap anybody for getting votes."

"Truth," smirked Master Fu and rubbed his short beard. "Truth is a double-edged blade, using it, you could easily harm yourself. You asked me not to involve authorities into your father's case, if he really is Hawkmoth. Isn't that a double standard?"

"It IS double standard, you are right, Master," answered Adrien. "But it's tradition not only in France, but all over the World. And we did quite a lot for Parisians, so I believe, I could at least unofficially demand for some 'special arrangement'."

"Yes, Adrien!" smiled Fu. "But your 'special arrangement' is simply in contrary to truth. I understand, if your father would get arrested, your personal lose would be even worse, than his, but if you demand so much about truth, you should also understand, truth in long perspective can cure a lot of things. But as every medicament, even truth has some side effects."

"So, you mean, I shouldn't tell the truth in future?" asked Adrien.

"No, just do it wisely and more diplomatic way," shook Master Fu his head. "If you succeed to defeat Hawkmoth, I demand you to call me before you call authorities. Well, if it would be really necessary to call them."

"Master Fu," said Plagg. "I'd recommend you to activate TWO more Miraculouses, I mean Longg in Dragon Miraculous and Sass's Snake Miraculous. Longg could transform you even in your old age and help you to fight, Sass could be good advisor, he's probably wisest of us and could help Longg to guard this place, when you'd sleep."

"Wise idea, Plagg!" said Master Fu and grabbed both Miraculouses.

"Ssso again into the battle, Massster?" asked Sass, observing everybody. "I have a ssstrange premonitttion…"

"What Sass?" asked Longg, looking like cute small dragon. "Contrary to other kwamis, I can transform Master Fu without special requirements considering his health status. But if you know anything or even if you only think you know anything, say it now! Without information we're for no good…"

"It'sss jussst a feeling," said Sass. "Ssseemsss to me, you ssshould activate also Barrk and Xuppu. For her parentsss," he pointed on Ladybug. "We'll cover thisss place, but they could need another sssafe ssshelter for hiding and protecting themssselvesss…"

Mater Fu frowned, but produced from magic box two more boxes:

"I'm not going to risk chance, Sass was right and I didn't right decision."

Old Chinese pointed on Adrien:

"Your costume has pockets. Transform now and place all those boxes there."

"Plagg, claws out!"

When Chat Noir placed all boxes into his pockets, he smiled on Ladybug:

"M'lady, next station is Chloé's room. I believe I know, which window it is."

He grabbed Ladybug again into his arms in bridal style. When he disappeared in darkness, Master Fu gave a sight:

"If only I was forty years younger!"

"You'd less envy him?" asked Longg.

"No!" smiled Fu. "But I'd have energy enough to go to the red lamp district just for NOT to envy him that much…"

XXXXXXX

When Chat Noir knocked on Chloé's window, she opened it pretty quickly:

"You were fast, founding replacement for Ladybug, you Mangy Cat!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16)

"That's me," said Ladybug and removed hat, allowing Chloé to see her mask. "Would you let us in?"  
"Sure," said Chloé and helped Ladybug in, leaving Chat Noir hanging on parapet alone.  
Chat Noir entered on his own, observing a bit annoyed Chloé's view.  
"Was it necessary to insult your fellow citizens?" asked him.  
"He decided to buy us time," explained Ladybug. "He told truth, all I can do now is transformation not to be recognized."  
"And why this feigning?" asked Chloé, pointing on tail of Ladybug's Catwoman costume.  
"This charade could help us bewilder Hawkmoth, we hope," explained Ladybug. "We have promising clue to his identity, so we need time for my recovery. According my kwami, I should be fully operational on Saturday morning. I have a big plea to you. Will you join us into this battle? It could be even more dangerous, than during Heroes' Day."  
"I'd be honored," said Chloé and saluted to Ladybug, ignoring Chat Noir.  
"Chloé Burgeois, accept Bee Miraculous, which grants you power to immobilize your opponent," said Ladybug and nodded to Chat Noir, who produced demanded box from one of his pockets. "You will use it for the greater good. As this job will be longer and more complicated, you need to get coordinated with Pollen. Open the box now!"  
"My Queen!" singed kwami, once appearing. "It's a pleasure to work with you again!"  
"We believe, you'll need to use Venom more, than once," said Chat Noir, what caused Chloé to frown on him. "Don't frown on me, that's for no good. You'll need to remember, Miraculous is not a toy. You can use it either together with us in fight, or only in case of do or die situation. In another case, you must not tell anybody, not even your parents or Sabrina, you got Miraculous again. Now ask Pollen, what she eats. You'll have to feed her, as after using your special power she needs replenish her energy quickly."  
"I eat sweet," said Pollen. "Ideally honey, my Queen!"  
"That's good," smirked Chat Noir. "You live in hotel. For breakfast there is honey packed in small sterile packed doses. As director's daughter you can take several of them. I'd recommend at least ten or twelve doses."  
"You're not as stupid as you often act or look like," smiled Chloé in surprise. "That's good idea. Maybe it could surprise both of you, but I missed Pollen more, than abilities she's able to give me."  
After these words Pollen cuddled up to Chloé's cheek and accepted to be pressed to kiss.  
"I'm really sorry, that I'll demand return of Miraculous later," said Ladybug sad tone. "But this time Chat asked Miraculous Guardian to let us use Miraculouses for longer time, than for just one mission. Chat believes, there will be free acting akumas, even if we succeed to down Hawkmoth, so our service to City will need more time."  
Chloé turned to Chat Noir and observed him better.  
"Are you two finally couple?" asked.  
"That's not of your business," answered Ladybug. "Let's say, there is more in our Kit-Kat, than is visible for first sight."  
"When he spoke on TV about the French, my father almost swallowed a fork in rage," giggled Chloé. "You're not much popular now, silly mangy cat."  
"Do you remember Cat from Red Dwarf?" asked Chat Noir. "I could be even more annoying and self-centered, if I wish so."  
"Do you hate Frenchmen so much?" asked Chloé.  
"All I said is nothing but a truth," Chat Noir gave her Cheshire Cat grin. "As Hannibal Lecter said, I love the French, they taste like a chicken," changed grimace into ugly smirk.  
"My father knows, it's truth," nodded Chloé. "But he wants to be reelected."  
"Politicians and diapers have one thing in common – they should both be changed regularly and for the same reason, by the way. Or, do you know, what happen, when you give a politician Viagra? He gets taller."  
"Does he do that often?" asked Chloé to Ladybug. "Stupid jokes and bad puns?"  
"Not often," answered Ladybug. "Rather all away."  
Chloé came to her and patted her shoulder:  
"Miraculous guardian should give Cat Miraculous to somebody better. Maybe like the boy from my class, Adrien Agreste. He's sweet, selfless, and polite to everybody. He'd be so much better Chat Noir, I think."  
Both Ladybug and Chat Noir had really a hard time not to burst in laugh. Chloé is so full of herself, that she is almost blind…  
"Fine, if you finished with wetting my silly kitty, I have one more plea to you," said Ladybug. "Maybe you'll not like it that much."  
"Whatever you need, Ladybug," said Chloé, saluting again.  
"Could we use your place on Saturday morning, let's say at nine thirty?" asked Ladybug. "I'd wish to invite here also other heroes for briefing before battle."  
"That will be my pleasure!" said Chloé. "Should I arrange some sandwiches or so?"  
"Only, if you'll prepare it all by yourself alone," answered Chat Noir. "This should be secret, nobody but you should know about it."  
"I'm not that incapable," retorted Chloé. "Would you prefer Whiskas or Royal Feline pellets?"  
"Chat Noir laughed and showed Chloé his right thumb up: "Point for you, Queen Bee!"  
"So see you on Saturday morning Chloé," said Ladybug. "Remember please, having Bee Miraculous gives you great power and even greater responsibility. Keep it as secret, please."  
She turned to Chat Noir:  
"Button up, kitten! We go to Rena Rouge and Carapace."  
"You can hide Miraculous inside your hair, my Queen," said Pollen. "And I really, really, really look forward to honey tomorrow morning."  
"Good night!" said Chat Noir, grabbed Ladybug again in bridal style and disappeared in darkness.  
Chloé closed window and that night she after long time slept being truly happy…

XXXXXXX

Ladybug navigated Chat Noir, kissing him repeatedly. Finally they got to Alya's place, but she was not there.  
"Maybe she's at Nino's place," said Chat Noir. "Just let's hope not in bed and not nude."  
"Clean your brain!" answered Ladybug with laugh. "Or I'll think, you're envious of him."  
"I don't envy him because of Alya," said Chat Noir. "But for their relationship I did, maybe a little bit."  
"You did," answered Ladybug. "And now, do you?"  
"As we're finally together, not anymore," explained Chat Noir.  
She kissed him and they continued to Nino's place.  
Alya and Nino sat together on his bed and comforted each other in hug, when Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived to them.  
"So you're replacement for Ladybug, Catgirl?" asked Alya with angry tone.  
Ladybug again showed her mask, same as with Chloé.  
"Why this comedy?" asked Alya.  
"According my kwami, I'll be able to do my 'special things' not before Saturday morning," explained Ladybug. "So we need prevent Hawkmoth from akumatizing anybody. Mon chatton decided to protect me his way."  
"That was not nice, what you told about our nation," said Nino.  
"I needed to cause full attention," smirked Chat Noir. "And I was really tired and pissed. And I told no lie."  
"So, if you became truly angry, we can expect heads bitted off and similar stuff?" questioned Alya.  
"If an dickhead would threated somebody I care about, it's quite a possible scenario," nodded Chat Noir.  
"Alya, Nino, we have auspicious clue to Hawkmoth identity," said Ladybug. "Will you agree to come into battle together with us?"  
Alya and Nino looked on each other.  
"Sure, what should we do?" asked Alya.  
"Chloé agreed to let us use her place for briefing before battle," explained Chat Noir. "We should meet there in Saturday nine thirty morning."  
"Her place?" asked Alya.  
"Part of rooftop of her father's hotel, near small bathing pool," added Ladybug. "Alya Césaire, Nino Lahiffe, accept Fox Miraculous and Turtle Miraculous. You both know the rules. As now our action will be more, than just a single mission, you need to ask your kwamis, what food you need to prepare. They will need extra energy after giving you special abilities and it will be necessary to do it repeatedly. Miraculouses are not toys, so you must not say about it to anybody and out of our action you can use them only in do or die situations. Do you understand me?"  
"Sure, Ladybug!" said both unison.  
"So, see you in Saturday morning," said Ladybug.  
"Wait!" said Alya. "Are you two finally a couple?"  
"Alya, I love you, my girl," said Ladybug. "Once this Hawkmoth campaign is over, we'll give you both interview, but right now, no information is available and nothing should appear on Ladyblog or anywhere else. Am I clear?"  
"Yes, Ladybug," said Alya sad tone. "We just both support Ladynoir, you know…"  
"I do too," said Chat Noir. "Maybe I could cajole her so."  
Ladybug mindlessly scratched his scalp just between his fake cat ears. Sound he emitted surprised her:  
"Are you really PURRING, kitty?"  
All of them starred on Chat Noir.  
"Well, I didn't know, right!" he muttered.  
"Fine," said Ladybug and kissed his cheek. "Let's go home. It's late."  
"Sure, m'lady!" said Chat Noir and grabbed her into his arms. "Have a meowellous time together, you two!"  
Nino and Alya both waved for 'Good bye'.  
"He's incorrigible," said Nino, when they moved away.  
"Well, you're lucky boy," said Alya.  
"Am I?" Nino looked confused. "Really? But why?"  
"If he's not so evidently in Ladybug and if I'm not in you, I'd think about him," smirked Alya. "He has his charm…"  
Nino opened his box and fist pounded with Wayzz, who appeared immediately.  
"Dude, Ladybug and Chat Noir authorized us to buy food for you and for Trixx. What do you love to eat?"  
"For me lettuce, ideally little gem," answered turtle-like kwami.  
Alya opened her box simultaneously.  
"I can eat almost anything," laughed Trixx. "You know, foxes are omnivores. But for easier logistic, some cookies would be good. Tikki, Ladybug's kwami eat it too, so you could help each other. Chat Noir didn't say it, but they're most important of us. Ladybug with Tikki's help can undo a lot of damage. But if any of them dies, we're lost. Remember it, both of you."  
"Chat Noir doesn't know it?" asked surprised Nino in disbelief.  
"He lives it!" said Wayzz. "Didn't you mention that yet? Are you really so blind?"

XXXXXXX

Back in Marinette's bedroom Chat Noir helped Ladybug into her bed.  
"Tikki spots off!"  
When kwami of creation was free flying, Marinette asked her:  
"Could you eat your cookie and have a rest? Is there anything we could do for you?"  
"Yep!" nodded red kwami. "Let me sleep for some time. I really, really, really need a rest!"  
"Sure," answered Marinette.  
"Plagg, claws in!" said Chat Noir and as Adrien he clogged mouth of small black creature with a piece of Camembert.  
He kneeled to Marinette's bed:  
"Marinette, will you marry me?"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17)

Marinette and Adrien had no idea that Sabine and Tom are together under trapdoor into Marinette's bedroom, eavesdropping the room. Sabine locked Tom's mouth by her hand, second hand she pointed downstairs to move away…

XXXXXXX

"Are you serious?" asked Marinette. "Why just now, all of sudden? We're not even in age for legal marriage, without special permit."  
"That's actually true," agreed Adrien. "I have no problem to ask your parents to allow that, but I dislike vision of myself begging that from my father. Especially, if he's really Hawkmoth."  
"So you mean that as precaution of me being with Luka in future or as contingent contract of kind or what?" asked Marinette, giving angry expression of her face.  
"No, Marinette, I offer because you are love of my life!" said Adrien, terribly scared by that sudden change of her behavior.  
"And you recognized just that right in moment, when you learned, I'm Ladybug," dropped her bombshell Marinette. "Till that you had no problem dating Kagami and observing me dating with Luka."  
Both kwamis, as well as Adrien, observed Marinette in true horror now.  
"Not long ago this would be completion of my wildest dreams," continued Marinette. "But you kept naming me as 'just a very good friend' of yours that time. Why has that changed? I guess, you deduced my identity after that akuma in restaurant. I told you about boy, who tries to make psychological profile of Hawkmoth and you figured out. Alya wrote nothing about that on her Ladyblog and how else could I know? Well, there could be more clever boys in Paris, but you probably got a whiff and you tried to do sure-fire, asking me for accepting your father's contract and later asking me for dating you."  
Adrien was speechless and looked devastated. Marinette observed him. Her mother was right. He really looked like feeling betrayed…  
"You should know now Adrien, I moved on," said girl. "I chose Luka to be my boyfriend. And you manipulated me to refuse him. You used your father's being Hawkmoth and you did nothing to prevent his akumatization. You even didn't warn me, I could get killed by Sicarius, for heavens' sake!"  
"I had no idea, that Luka could try to kill you," said Adrien. "I supposed, he'd be after me and I, as Chat Noir, could defeat him easily."  
"That was cruel, irresponsible and really, really wrong from you," said Marinette. "Luka's good guy and his akumatization was because of your manipulation. You know, I can easily imagine your thoughts. You think: I, as Chat Noir, I do all dangerous hard work and this, how you named him, 'blue-haired excuse for musician' came to Ladybug and with several sweet words he creamed off the pleasure to have her as girlfriend. I understand, you take it as big unfairness, that I did not answer to Chat's flirt by loving him back."  
"I know, that love is not an Olympic sport," answered Adrien. "With clear rules and fair play anticipation…"  
"How fair was your dating with Kagami, when Ladybug refused you?" asked Marinette. "I was invisible for you. Luka sees me. He sees me from beginning."  
"So, you finally chose him over me?" answered Adrien by question. "Is it, what you really want for future?"  
"Didn't you chose Kagami over me, before you knew, I'm Ladybug?" Marinette's answer was prompt. "Now it's late!"  
"Please, give me another chance!" pleaded Adrien.  
"You don't deserve another chance!" Marinette observed Adrien's face.  
Boy was pale, almost like a ghost.  
-Compose yourself!- Adrien mentally kicked himself. –Men don't cry! If you can't be happy, keep dignity at least!-  
He stayed speechless again. What was the worst of that, all Marinette said was truth, if judged from her point of view…  
"I guess, your father should face consequences of his actions as Hawkmoth," said slowly Marinette. "I remember, what you told, but I simply can't agree to let him go unpunished. So the public trial should be the case."  
"As I told you," breathed silently Adrien. "My father is not a TIR driver from Czechia or Poland to be sentenced in France without evidence. I don't think, there's too much usable evidence in Agreste Manor and your testimony would hardly be enough."  
"My testimony?" asked Marinette. "Not OUR testimony?"  
"If you really chose Luka over me, I do see NO reason to be another Pavel Morozov, who denounced his father to soviet bolsheviks' authorities. Would you go to reveal your identity at the court of justice? I'd not and if they ask, what do I know, I can refuse to testify against my own father. So there will be no evidence. In Chess it'd be Stalemate, but law has rule 'In Dubio pro Reo' – when in doubt, for accused. So he'll hardly be imprisoned. Doctor Bornish will be a bit richer and thanks to public shame I'll have to leave country, probably for America, I think."  
"What will you do in America?" asked Marinette. "Don't you want to stay in Paris?"  
"I have a good brain," said Adrien. "As fencer I could got a sport scholarship, for example in Princeton or in Columbia University. They most probably never heard about Hawkmoth there or they will not pay so much attention to that, I believe. And without you, I don't want to live in Paris, rather in France, not at all."  
"Interesting, you have it already elaborated," mumbled Marinette.  
"I made my own research BEFORE I even tried to go to public school," explained Adrien. "I dreamed plans to escape from Agrestes' before I was chosen for Plagg."  
"That's another thing," said Marinette. "You want to move to America. I want to stay here and as Ladybug, I will need dependable Chat Noir. Not Chat Noir on opposite side of Atlantic Ocean. And you refuse to testify against Hawkmoth, if he'd be revealed as your father. So give me your Miraculous, I'm going to give it to someone more trustworthy."  
Now Marinette recognized, she pushed him too far and too much.  
His scared face changed into anger and finally into wrath.  
"NO WAY!" he shouted. "Plagg is not my property or slave to trade with him. He's my friend, likely seems to me, my only friend."  
"What about me, Nino or Alya?" asked Marinette.  
"You chose to disbelief me, Alya is first of all YOUR friend and Nino would for sure be loyal to her," said Adrien. "By the way, to whom do you want to pass Plagg?"  
"To Luka, off course!" answered girl. "As my actual boyfriend he's more trustworthy and not in conflict of interests, like you."  
"FORGET IT!" Adrien trembled in wrath. "You DIDN'T give me that Miraculous, so you CAN'T demand it! If Master Fu decides so, I could take it into consideration."  
He turned to his kwami:  
"Plagg, would you want to work for Luka?!"  
"Phew!" tiny black creature of Destruction looked annoyed. "Time to raise own backbone, kiddo. If you ask me, I would even revolt against Master Fu, if he'd such idiot to ask me to work for that blue-haired jester."  
Plagg flied in circles around Tikki:  
"It's YOUR fault, Sugar-cube!"  
"WHAT THE HECK DO YOU MEAN?!" asked Tikki.  
"You insisted on secrete identity so much, that that nitwit of my owner found it late. They could be happily together…"  
"Or both in Hawkmoth's hands!" shrieked Tikki. "So hold your horses!"  
"Fine, if you really wish so!" said Adrien. "I'M NO traitor! I'LL NOT betray YOU! See you on Saturday morning at Chloé's place. Plagg, claws out!"

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author's note: As Roman Catholic I feel sad and sorry because of destruction of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Especially, as this catastrophe was not caused by madness of war, like it is usual in similar cases, but most probably by stupid simple craftsmen's sloppy work. On the other hand – there is still the hope, as there are still true everyday heroes in France, amongst firefighters as well as others, who did their best in attempt to rescue the Cathedral. These people deserve for all thinkable respect…


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18)

Chat Noir produced from his pockets Dog and Monkey Miraculouses. Tiger Miraculous he decided better to keep in his own hands. Maybe he should ask Master Fu to let him use this Miraculous with Kagami permanently.  
He could be much less happy with her, than he would be with Marinette, but Kagami's potential future children have chance to be cleverer…  
"Adrien! Please!" magic word was a bit surprise now. "Mon Chatton! Don't go! Please!"  
"What?!" asked really confused Chat Noir. "What do you mean?"  
"I need you to understand, you can't earn me, I'm not a decorative ribbon on your diploma," said Marinette. "But truth is, I love YOU, in spite of mess you did and I said."  
"And Luka?" asked Chat Noir.  
"When I felt heartbroken, he helped me compose myself," explained Marinette. "And he quite sure wants me to be his girlfriend and yes, I thought about that, quite a lot. But anyway, I want YOU. Just never ever try either to lie to me or manipulate me."  
"And that sum of my guilt?"  
"Well, you did all of that, all I said is truth. With a small exception, I did not choose him over you and I do not need you to submit Plagg. Will you forgive me, that I was evil to you? I promise to forgive you for what YOU did."  
"I will need something a bit more," said Chat Noir. "You almost cause me to get heart attack. I'm still scared to death…"  
"What more would you want?" asked Marinette curiously.  
"First of all, I need a hug and kiss," answered boy in Cat costume.  
"That's easy, come here!"  
After couple of minutes Chat Noir sat on Marinette's bed.  
"And now?" asked girl.  
Chat Noir squirmed:  
"You and Luka, did you… did you have…"  
It was palpable, he did not know, how to continue, or rather, his will was not strong enough to finish sentence.  
"I guess, you're asking, whether I and Luka had sex?" said Marinette bitterly. "Seems, I should better not to do, what I did to you… So I probably deserve that. Answer is NO. I didn't have sex with anybody yet. I wanted you to be my first and only. Isn't it strange in this time? Now it's only fair, if I will ask: And what about you, model boy? Did you have sex with Chloé, Kagami, or any of those brainless model girls?"  
Adrien shook his head.  
"Whenever I was together with Chloé, there was always also somebody, who looked for us not to be 'too close' together," laughed Adrien. "And later in school I learned, that she's not the one I want be with. With Kagami I was never for enough time and model girls? – Father said, imagine any girl you would be with, as your wife for a rest of life. He strictly 'dis-advised' me doing one night stands with any of them, not to spoil Agreste's reputation."  
"And with me, would you want to spoil that reputation?" asked Marinette mischievously.  
"Relationship with you would be rather beneficial for Agreste's reputation. Maybe I can offer you something: Will you agree to be my only sexual partner and I will be your only one?"  
"So a contingent contract of kind finally!" laughed girl. "But if you wish so, I agree!"  
"YES!" cheered Tikki. "Finally!"  
"Tikki?" asked Marinette. "Why are YOU so happy with that?"  
"I and Plagg, we are two halfs of entirety. Not each Ladybug was partner with her Chat Noir, but often it was so. Even not all Ladybugs were women, as well, as not all Chats Noir were men. But we work best in normal social frame, with normal families, you know, one man, being father, one woman, mother, and their children. For obvious reasons it's prohibited for Ladybug and Chat Noir use sister and brother. Nonsenses of these days, I mean, when two women or two men could live together and name that marriage do not correspondent well with our magic. So back to Ladybugs and Chats Noir. Those, who were not only partners, but also loving couples, were usually much more effective in fact. How you acted together against Frightingale was just a pre-taste of possible. On the other hand, you used to celebrate your victory by fist bump. Some other Ladybugs and Chats Noir used to use a bit 'deeper way' to celebrate their victories."  
Adrien felt, how his cheeks get hot.  
"Are you really blushing?" teased him Marinette.  
"From MY point of view you're blushing both!" commented it Tikki. "Now all seems to me to be as it should be from beginning…"  
"But you supported my dating with Luka!" girl was confused. "And you almost prohibited me to reveal to Chat Noir…"  
"Marinette, you needed to do mistakes on your own to get some experience. You also needed to learn something about love. Well, not too much in fact, I was ready to interrupt you, if things would go too far out of hands. And about revelation? We usually in history did not act against another Miraculouses holders, but against different kinds of threats. Adrien finally found your identity himself and he did things the best way he imagined. There is something he did not tell you, as he probably doesn't know it yet. From now you made a pact on magical level with him. If you cheat on him with another man, well… sexually… he would feel the 'smell' of that. And same is true for you from now."  
"Awch!" said Adrien. "Trust me, please, I had no idea!"  
"That's quite easy to trust," Marinette winked on him. "You have always no idea!"  
"Fine, fine," shook Chat Noir his head.  
Adrien was sure, especially after that furious scene, Marinette was able to find her way to make HIM feel guilty for literally anything…  
"I need something more and it concerns Luka," said boy decisively.  
"What? Should I call him now and break with him for good or what?"  
"That's something I'd prefer rather to do silently, without too much of noise," smirked Chat Noir. "I seriously need from you a promise. Promise me, you'll never reveal HIM yourself as Ladybug. I had to find it a really non-easy way and he doesn't deserve to know that easier way. Also I'd prefer him to obtain no Miraculous from your hands. If Master Fu decides that, I'm OK with that. But not as your favor to him."  
"That's a bit unfair from you, you decided Kagami yourself…"  
"For a good reason. And I never pretended choosing her over you."  
"OK, OK, is that everything?" Marinette looked like if her advice to Adrien was to answer 'Yes'.  
"Not yet," shook Adrien his head. "I believe, Luka is going to be a troublemaker and I wish you to agree me doing anything, I'd consider as necessary, once I'll announce you as my official girlfriend to Alya."  
"So now I'm just only your girlfriend, not a fiancée?" asked Marinette cheerfully.  
"You've not say 'yes' on my question yet," said Chat Noir. "And classmates should get it dosed bit by bit. I'm going to tell Alya, we had a big talk after Luka was deakumatized and that's why it's a new of day. Week or two later we could tell more together."  
"That's wit," noted Marinette. "As I'll be not in school together, please, could you bring me notes tomorrow?"  
"Try to stop me!" smiled Chat Noir finally. "So what's your answer to my question?"  
"Answer is yes, off course," smiled Marinette. "Once we're both eighteen. But first things first. We should learn, what new kwamis will need as food. Would you wish to keep Miraculous for Kagami in your hands?"  
"Not necessarily," smirked Chat Noir. "Maybe Roaar would better help this night as support guard here."  
He produced last box from his pocket. He had still some doubts, but he decided to interrogate Plagg about that later and in privacy…  
Chat Noir opened all three boxes. Dog looking kwami appeared as first.  
"Barrk, for your service!"  
"Fine Barrk," commented Chat Noir. "What food should we prepare for you?"  
"Anything!" laughed miniature dog. "Here it's bakery, I can eat almost anything here."  
As second introduced himself Roaar:  
"For me raw meat, ideally beef!"  
"Fine!" nodded Marinette. "Adrien, could you buy some? Ideally packed in Polypropylene? To avoid stink…"  
"Sure," nodded Chat Noir.  
Xuppu somehow appeared on his back and laughed. He changed his position quickly several times, Adrien suspected him from using teleportation of kind.  
"Same as doggie, I can eat anything here! They'll going to have no idea, where did the food disappear! We'll have fun!"  
Adrien tried to imagine Mrs. Sabine Cheng managing with this little plundering pest. That will be interesting for sure, but better being observed from another city, maybe even from another continent…  
Roaar grabbed Xuppu in his jaws for a moment and shook with him.  
"Behave yourself, Monkey!" tiger kwami seemed to be disgusted. "Till Ladybug is not in her full strength, Chat Noir is second in command here!"  
"Orders are simple," said Chat Noir. "Observe this place, guard it against intruders. In case of danger wake up either Marinette, or her parents. Don't let yourself to be caught and don't kill anybody, if it's really not necessary."  
Roaar saluted and started with tongue lashing in an unknown language. Tikki from her pet bed silently laughed…  
"See you tomorrow, purrincess," said Chat Noir and disappeared in night…

XXXXXXX

"That was almost too closed!" said Tikki. "You risked a lot Marinette. Adrien could be broken by this your little action and I'm not sure, whether it was really worth of such a risk. He was ready to left with Kagami as Roaar keeper for their future together."  
"I know and trust me please, Tikki, it was worth of that risk," said Marinette. "He needed to know the boundaries."  
"Fine, but from now, whatever you need from him, he can ask you for a quid pro quo."  
"The web of reciprocal services would be in fact helpful as kind of additional bonds in future," said Marinette. "His father taught him to do something, if he wants to obtain something from others, so I just keep on doing in this play too…"

XXXXXXX

Chat Noir detransfromed close to his home.  
"Plagg, did you ever meet with something similar?" asked his kwami. "She scared me more, than most of akumas!"  
"I met with that, quite often," little creature of Destruction wriggled. "Females use manipulation all the time, but gods be with you, if you try it too. Her behavior, seems to me as a part of, let's name it, taming of Chat Noir. Ladybugs usually do it almost on instinct base. Well, those, who decided for their Chat Noir as life partner. Scare him almost to death and after that 'graciously' saying, that it was just a lecture…"  
"Taming of Chat Noir?" Adrien looked confused. "Seriously? Why the heck?"  
"Because of Cataclysm," answered Plagg. "Using Cataclysm to kill Ladybug is considered as something like high treason. In history it happened only two times. First time it was corrupted Chat Noir, who accepted good money in gold from local aristocrat. When his Ladybug discovered it, she decided to inform Guardians. He killed her using Cataclysm to wipe all clues away. Second time it was similar loser like you. When his Ladybug chose another man over him, he killed her because of jealousy. In both cases I did my duty."  
"Your duty?" asked Adrien suspiciously. "Did you execute them?"  
"I destroyed them, totally," answered Plagg. "It's a part of geas in my Miraculous. When Chat Noir uses his power in battle, it's legitimate. But murder of closest ally is taboo."  
Plagg made several circles around Adrien:  
"You made me being depressive! I need my Camembert! I need it now!"  
"Plagg, I'm sorry, I have no Camembert right now," answered boy. "You need to wait, till we're in my room, there's reserve supply. And what that taming of Chat Noir means?"  
Plagg gave him evil smile:  
"Girl's panties might not be the most important thing in the Universe, but it's damned closed to it…"  
"You mean… do you mean?…" Adrien was unable to formulate sentence properly.  
"Give me your phone!" said Plagg. "I must make a photo of your face now, it would be priceless!"  
Adrien tried to catch him, without success of course.  
"OK Plagg!" said Adrien. "Now behave yourself, or I'll cut your Camembert ration!"  
Plagg zipped into his hiding place under Adrien's shirt and remained silent for a moment.  
"Are you serious with Camembert?"  
"Observe me!"

XXXXXXX

When Adrien opened entrance door to Agreste Mansion, Nathalie awaited him.  
"You're late, Adrien," said without visible emotions. "Your father needs you in his office room."  
"Good evening, Nathalie," answered boy. "Should I be ready for thunderstorm?"  
"I doubt so, Adrien," nodded his father's assistant and showed him to go, following just three steps after him.  
"Come in!" answered Gabriel for knock.  
"So lost son finally came!" his father told joke without real humor in voice. "Adrien, your phone is probably broken. I tried to call you several times and it was unavailable. Or did you switch it off?"  
"No I didn't" shook Adrien his head.  
"Fine," nodded Gabriel. "Nathalie, Adrien will need a new phone. Arrange it tomorrow, please. Something classy, elegant, waterproof and unbreakable."  
"Sure, sir," answered Nathalie.  
"As you are that late, I hope, you succeeded, son," said father.  
"Yep," nodded Adrien. "Marinette agreed to be my girlfriend. Would you want to ask her to confirm that?"  
"It's not necessary," nodded Gabriel. "I believe you're not lying to me. Do you need dinner, or did you have it with your new girlfriend?"  
"We had dinner together," said Adrien.  
It was not actually correct, but he could hardly explain his father, whom he suspected to be Hawkmoth, everything he did that day.  
"Fine. I think, you have still some homework to do and it's late, so go to your room. Maybe just this," said his father and passed him paper with sheet music. "If you stay against musician, you may need to beat him by music. Try this one. It's maybe more difficult, than anything you already learned, but I believe, it's worth of it."  
Adrien took a look for a paper.  
"Bugatti Step? Such a relic? Seriously?!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19)

Gabriel Agreste raised his left eyebrow.  
"That's not outdated, that's atemporal," he objected. "Try to find it on youtube. You'll see."  
"OK," nodded Adrien. "There was one strange thing. When Lila was akumatized, her spell didn't work on me. She said, Hawkmoth has another work for me. I truly hope, he doesn't want me to model his akumas' outfits. They're mostly crazy, often truly lame."  
His father stared on him for a moment. Adrien smiled.  
"Do you need something more, father?"  
"No, good night Adrien," answered Gabriel.  
"Good night, father," nodded boy and left room.

XXXXXXX

"Do you think, he knows, sir?" asked Nathalie.  
"I doubt so, but check his phone, once you give him a new one," answered Gabriel. "Good night, Nathalie."

XXXXXXX

Adrien found on youtube Bugatti step on piano, played by Igor Ardashev. Melody was catchy and really quick.  
"No chance, kiddo!" said Plagg. "Not without being transformed to Chat Noir. You're not quick enough for that!"  
"We'll see, Plagg," smiled Adrien. "First fingering, speed later."  
"On the other hand, I should first of all clean my phone and warn Master Fu. On my phone could be GPS to his place."  
"You're right, Adrien. Hate to say it, but you'd better call him transformed and not from your phone."  
"True. Plagg, claws out!"  
As Chat Noir he dialed Master Fu number.  
"What's up, Chat Noir, it's really late?"  
"Good evening Master Fu, my father needs me to give him my phone. So he could find GPS coordinates of your place. Could you move away, as soon as possible?"  
"That will be tricky to inform all my customers and not Hawkmoth, but it's not a first time I need to move in a hurry. Thanks for a warning."  
"Sure. We'll inform you, once things would change, one or another way…" Adrien was silent for a moment. "Good night Master Fu!"  
"Good night, Adrien!"  
After that phone call Adrien cleaned his phone and all suspicious data he placed to small data card. This data card he placed inside of his watch.  
"Plagg, tomorrow afternoon remember me to buy huge supply of Camembert. I'm worried, there will be a lot of things to be cataclysmed…"

XXXXXXX

In the morning something surprising happened in the entrance hall of school. There was a crowd of students and Adrien was attacked. Only thanks to his enhanced reflexes he was not hit by malicious fist punch into backside of his head.  
"AGRESTE!" shouted Luka's voice on his back.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20)

Adrien slowly turned to Luka. Blue-haired 'excuse for a musician' was evidently upset and Adrien knew pretty well, why. Now there was time for some manipulations with that clown. For Adrien it would be easy-peasy to knock Luka KO, leaving him black and blue. But unfortunately that is something he cannot do. He must never spoil his P.R., his public image. So the only way was to make Luka either run as scared hare, or better make him attack as first…  
"Couffaine!" said Adrien with as much disdain, as he was able to wedge into his tone of voice. "Or should I better say 'Sicarius'?"  
Luka was even more upset, but somehow he managed to calm down. Musician evidently got to understand what was Adrien trying to do.  
"Leave Marinette alone, she's my girlfriend!"  
"You used wrong tense," smirked Adrien. "Proper would be to use past tense, in sense she WAS your girlfriend, but she's no more."  
"What?" Luka stared on Adrien in consternation.  
"Trying to kill her with a knife was a mistake, I fancy," explained Adrien with a smile on his face, that you could usually meet on tropical river banks, where small birds remove rests of meat and parasites from that smile.  
"Technically, it was a dagger," said Max from back. "Knife has usually only one sharp edge, dagger has two and also sharp point."  
"Thanks, Max!" noted Adrien. "Is there a big difference between being killed by knife, or by dagger, by the way?"  
"In fact not, well, dagger is more sure death, if you understand me," explained Max.  
Adrien risked quick inspection of situation. Crowd of students was divided, leaving a more or less circular space for both boys. Adrien found, Ivan with Kim and Alix were watching his back, same did three boys for Luka. So it was unlikely, some of Luka's sympathizer could come to his back to attack. Nino and Alya both did video footage of event.  
"Fine," said Adrien. "I must really admire your guts Couffaine. You tried to kill my girlfriend and now you ask me to let you be with her, so you could finish that or what? Quite a chutzpah, isn't it?"  
"Chutzpah?" asked consternated Luka.  
"Chutzpah is a special level of audacity," explained Max. "Like if man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan."  
Luka was red in face from wrath. But he still did not attack Adrien. He was too scared to go into fair wrestling fight. He knew, that Adrien, as fencer, was most probably no wuss…  
"She all the time lamented, how you're incapable to see her," said Luka. "I see her all the time and I love her."  
"You have a strange way to demonstrate your 'love'," Adrien said the word love with palpable disgust. "Helping her calm down is old history now, like a Bataille d'Azincourt* during Hundred Years' War. Using dagger against girl who refused you might be normal behavior amongst middle-east barbarians, but not here in France. France is still a part of Western World, by Jove! Now fuck off! You'd better return home to change for brown trousers, by the way."  
(*French Battle of Agincourt)  
Luka opened his eyes wide.  
"WHAT?"  
"To avoid other people to recognize, what a little piece of shit you are," explained Adrien with evil smile. "Now run away, little hare!"  
Amongst students there was one drama queen, who started on his or her phone song from 30 seconds to Mars, 'This is War':

«A warning to the people,»  
«The good and the evil,»  
«This is war.»

"Fifty Euro on Adrien!" said Max.  
"Hundred on Luka!" said girl's voice, unknown to Adrien.  
"Another fifty on my dude!" said Nino.  
"Nice to have friends, believing in you," said Adrien teasingly.  
Luka stared on him wordless…

«To the soldier, the civilian,»  
«The martyr, the victim,»  
«This is war.»

Hearing song was distracting, but as Chat Noir was Adrien used to fight in distracting situation. Luka on the other way was quite evidently much more upset with that…

«It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie,»  
«The moment to live and the moment to die,»  
«The moment to fight, the moment to fight»  
«To fight, to fight, to fight!»

"Fils de Pute*!" shrieked frustrated Luka.  
(*French Son of a bitch)  
Juleka gasped. Her brother just made grave mistake right now.

«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«From the last to the first»

"You have forgotten the face of your father!" used Adrien ritual challenge from Dark Tower. "If you've ever knew his face."  
That was dirty punch and Luka's face turned red. Adrien estimated, he was to soon lost his temper. Alix blocked Juleka from coming closer.  
"Your brother seriously needs a lecture in humbleness and in good behavior. Adrien will be a good teacher."  
Rose hugged Juleka from left side, trying to calm her down.

«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world!»

«A warning to the prophet,»  
«The liar, the honest,»  
«This is war.»

«To the leader, the pariah,»  
«The victor, the messiah,»  
«This is war.»

After word 'pariah' Adrien winked on Luka:  
"Go ahead, make my day!"  
Blue-haired boy concentrated all his hate, frustration and fear into one fist punch.

«It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie,»  
«The moment to live and the moment to die,»  
«The moment to fight, the moment to fight,»  
«To fight, to fight, to fight!»

Luka's fist would break Adrien's nose, but the punch never hit its target. Adrien dodged his head, he grabbed Luka's right wrist and made Luka's arm twisted on his back. Simultaneously he twice punched Luka's ribs by his left fist and tripped Luka's leg.

«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«From the last to the first»

When Luka was on his knees on floor and Adrien pushed his right knee onto his thoracic spine, there was a time to show for audience his magnanimity:  
"Do you surrender?" asked Adrien.  
Luka slapped by his left hand to floor, like in wrestling, to show, he surrendered.  
"OK," said Adrien and released Luka. "Go and find another sandpit to play there!"  
Adrien turned his back to Luka, leaving for classroom.

«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world!»

Thanks to his enhanced senses Adrien heard Luka's run to his back. When Luka was near, wrath in his face, Adrien turned to him, giving him roundhouse kick into ribs.

«I do believe in the light»  
«Raise your hands into the sky»  
«The fight is done, the war is won»  
«Lift your hands toward the sun»  
«Toward the sun»  
«Toward the sun»  
«Toward the sun»  
«The war is won»

As Adrien hit Luka's rib cage only tangentially, not directly, he did not break anything, only made Luka's body to do a bit theatrical flip in air and finally Luka ended on his back. As he quite quickly pushed himself away from Adrien, it was pretty evident Luka was only shocked, not somehow seriously wound.

«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«From the last to the first»

"Juleka, call ambulance for him!" said Adrien to consternated girl. "I don't think, that he's really wound, but better let him check by traumatology."  
Juleka dialed number of ambulance and started explain them, what has happened.

«To the right, To the left»  
«We will fight to the death!»  
«To the edge of the earth»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world»  
«It's a brave new world! »

Adrien dialed Nathalie's number.  
"Nathalie, please tell father, that I was attacked in school. Attacker is on his way to hospital. Infor also Doctor Bornishe, I will probably need his help. He should pick an court order for security cameras footage up. Before somebody manage to delete it from school system. You'll need to some damage control soon."  
"Sure Adrien!" said Nathalie. "Thanks for informing me in time. Was it because Miss Dupain-Cheng?"  
"Yes, it was," answered Adrien. "But it was simply inevitably. He tried to break my nose. That would be destructive for photoshoots."  
"For sure you're right," replied Nathalie. "Now go to your classroom and try not to cripple another student today. I'll do my best to save your public image."

«A brave new world»  
«The war is won»  
«The war is won»  
«A brave new world!»

When ambulance-men stretchered Luka away, students managed to disperse to their classrooms. Adrien shortly dialed another number:  
"Marinette, I unfortunately had to bash up Luka. I'm calling you to prevent possibility, you learn about it from media or from another people."  
"Was it inevitable?" asked girl.  
"I strongly believe so," answered boy. "That bozo tried break my nose."  
"And you've appreciate bashing him up!" accused him Marinette.  
"Guilty!" answered Adrien.  
"You're irreformable!" said Marinette. "Will you come here for lunch?"  
"I'll do my best to come," promised Adrien.  
Before he could enter the classroom, he was blocked by group of his classmates.  
"I really hope, that you TRULLY love Marinette!" said Alix, causing Adrien to be surprised and consternated.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21)

"I do," said Adrien. "But how is it your business?"  
Nobody observed him switching on Dictaphone application on his phone hidden in his pocket. Adrien decided to send recorded conversation to Marinette, so she could play along and confirm his version of their becoming a couple.  
"You have NO IDEA how annoying it is to hear 'Oh, how could I date with Adrien?' or 'He'll for sure fall for Kagami!' or another shit of that kind all the time," said Alix. "But it was really nice, how you cut Luka down to size. If Marinette is not my friend, I'd ask you out myself."  
"ALIX!" shouted Alya on her. "You should NEVER EVER say those things to Adrien!"  
"Calm down!" retorted Alix. "If he knew things a bit sooner, there could be so much less nerves."  
Kim smiled:  
"With you out of market, we others have better chance any way. So except for Luka and his closest friends, all of us support you and Marinette together."  
Rose came to Adrien and quite painfully jabbed him into ribs by her index and middle fingers. She repeated that silly kind of attack:  
"That wasn't nice you did to Luka!" Rose almost shrieked. "He loves Marinette and you humiliated him and manipulated him to attack you!"  
"Yes, I did that!" agreed Adrien and grabbed Rose's wrist, keeping it between his left thumb and index finger, showing other fingers not touching her hand. Well, Adrien's thumb and index finger were enough to keep pocket-sized girl's wrist reliably. "And I'd appreciate if you don't do that ever again. I don't like it."  
"But…" Rose tried to wrench her hand out of his grip. "But Luka really loves her and she loved Luka. And Luka is a good guy, so talented musician. That's not fair…"  
"Life is quite often unfair," nodded Adrien. "Sorry, that I don't share your ardor for that blue-haired excuse for musician. I really have contempt for man, who attacks unarmed girl with knife or dagger. If he came after me, it would be unpleasant, but someway normal. Men tended to smash their skulls each other because of girls from time of our chimpanzee-like ancestors. But attempt for kill female is something so unforgivable, that I decided to ignore rule about not to berate person for what he did being akumatized. That rule is anyway just only unwritten, means unenforceable…"  
Adrien gave Rose smile of kind causing her to shiver. She wished to step back, but he hold her fast.  
"I need Luka to feel so ashamed, that he'd never come closer to Marinette. I'm not going to risk next time he could finish his next murderous attempt. The day before yesterday I started testing waters, thinking, that Marinette could be maybe, well… THE ONE for me…"  
"Finally," said Alya. "It took you 'ONLY' two years. I'd never trust how somebody could be so blind. Being even more blind you'd need white stick and guiding dog…"  
Everybody around Adrien including, chuckled for that.  
"OK," snorted Rose. "I expected something more romantic for Marinette, but if you say so, and if she decided finally for you, I could buy that…"  
"Do you need sparkling firework rockets and wagons of flowers?" asked Adrien with a wit smile. "Sorry to disappoint you. In fact it started by my father. He decided to hire Marinette as freelancer designer and I helped to organize the interview. During that I learned, it's really nice to speak with her. When Marinette accepted Luka's invitation for a coffee date, I decided to halt any progression of that relationship and I asked her to be my girlfriend. When Luka got akumatized, I observed it on internet and hurried there. Thanks to God, Chat Noir was there in time and saved her life from his murderous attempt."  
Adrien observed knot of his classmates. They literally read his lips. He did not smile, but they evidently credited his version and any Luka's later attempt will be refused by his friends…  
"When I found Marinette, she was shocked and looked unable to talk at all. So I holt her and spoke a lot of things, honestly, I do not remember what I told her. We had walk and talk together, finally she said, she definitively broke with Luka. Later she seemed to be tired, or maybe got cold…"  
"Yea, she texted me, that she's ill," confirmed Alya.  
"So, that's all folks!" smirked Adrien. "When I came to school, that idiot attacked me from my back, but I guess, only security camera observed that, he used scrummage on beginning of day to mask his attack on me."  
"I DID observe that!" said Max to his surprise. "But before I could do anything, you succeeded to pacify him yourself. I just arranged music for that."  
"It was you?!" questioned Nino. "It's usually my business to be DJ."  
"You were too busy making video record of brawl to be," snorted Max.  
"So Rose, you can see it yourself," said Adrien. "It's not me, who is villain here. It was only a legitimate self-defense. Try to explain that to Juleka once you meet her."  
Rose did not look happy, but Adrien waited till she nodded to release her from his grip.  
"Bro, what was that with Luka?" asked Nino. "Were you playing to be Chuck Norris or what the heck?"  
"If I'm Chuck Norris, Luka is in hearse, not in ambulance," smirked Adrien.  
All of them , but not Rose, shortly laughed.  
Miss Bustier came to their cluster:  
"It's time to start lectures. NOW!"  
"Sure, Miss Bustier!" they answered unison and moved to classroom.  
Miss Bustier skipped presentation and started with world prewar literature:  
"As homework you should read excerpt from Karel Čapek's 'La Guerre des salamandres'* and make short essay about it."  
(* 'Válka s mloky' – 'War with the Newts' – 1936, Ewald Osers' translation is recommended for rubbernecks)

XXXXXXX

Some five minutes to lunch pause during Mrs. Mendeleiev's lesson of physics teacher's phone started to buzz.  
Mrs. Mendeleiev frowned and gave the device nasty look, observing, it is Mr. Damocles calling her.  
"Mr. Damocles?" asked teacher without smallest hearable respect in her tone. "Yes, he's here. OK, I'll tell him to go to your office. Yes, immediately."  
Mrs. Mendeleiev gave to her unhappy phone one really disgusted look, once she finished the call with principal.  
"Mr. Agreste, you're asked to Mr. Damocles office. You others, leave the class silently and enjoy your lunch."  
When Adrien knocked on Mr. Damocles' door, it was opened by not much expected person:  
"Doctor Bornish?"  
"Come in, Adrien!" asked lawyer. "Come in and close the door!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22)

Inside of principal's office were more people, than it was usual.  
Luka Couffaine was accompanied by his mother Anarka as well as by his sister Juleka. All three Couffaines looked on Adrien with undisguised grudge. Adrien made polite smile for them, what caused all three of them to even deepen their frown…  
"You were right, Adrien!" said Doctor Bornish. "It was wise to ask me secure footage of security cameras here. When I came here, Principal Damocles informed me, all footage was deleted. He forgot, your school doesn't have own IT workers, but uses outsourcing professional IT-firm, same as many smaller schools here."  
Lawyer gave Mr. Damocles a bit arrogant smile, what caused Principal sunk in his chair.  
"Principal Damocles probably thought, he would have less problems with evidence being removed," Doctor Bornish shook his head. "So I needed to explain him, in such a case he could face being accused for Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice. After that he recollected and gave me contact for that IT-firm. Their specialist restored amateurishly deleted footages. I have his sworn deposition about this incident. We both with Mr. Damocles just observed that footage, when here Mrs. Couffaine with her daughter and son came and needed you to be expelled from school. Because of aggravated assault on Mr. Couffaine. Thankfully I was right here, so I prevented Principal Damocles from simple complying of this request. Finally that could happen solely strictly as a result of your penalization through the court of justice. I really hope Mrs. Couffaine will press charge against you. It will be just a cake to crush that during trial. I've read Mr. Couffaine's medical report. According what was written there, only his oversized ego and pride got hurt. No big loss in fact."  
Doctor Bornish gave Couffaines his best shark-like smile. Adrien remembered, sharks do never eat lawyers, because of collegiality.  
"I came here to be sure, that rule, we use to say 'Auditaur et altera pars', is not to be broken," said lawyer. When none of observers reacted, he continued: "That means 'Let's Listen to the other side.' Seems to me, Principal Damocles was ready for broke this important rule…"  
Principal Damocles seemed to like sink even deeper into his chair.  
"From security camera footage it's clear it was here Mr. Couffaine, who started incident by attacking here my client from his back."  
"That footage was manipulated!" shrieked Luka.  
"Both you and I know, it's NOT manipulated," Doctor Bornish elevated his left eyebrow. "Don't make a fool from yourself. Forensic expert will prove, the footage was never manipulated and judge will accept that. There is probably no witness of that before the brawl began…"  
"There IS one eyewitness!" said Adrien.  
"Great!" smiled lawyer. "Even greater! Don't tell anybody his or her name. Judges love to hear eyewitnesses. Made not a big difference, that they are usually much less credible, than physical evidence…"  
He looked on opponents triumphantly.  
"So Mrs. and Mr. Couffaine, do you insist on pressing charge against my client?" asked Doctor Bornish Luka. "Please do it, make my day!"  
"No, he's not worthy of that!" said Luka.  
"Good!" nodded lawyer. "And what about you, Adrien? If you wish, I could press same charge against Mr. Couffaine with really a good chance for victory."  
"I don't want accuse Luka at court of justice," said Adrien. "But it makes no good, if evil remains unpunished. So my recommendation is here for Mr. Damocles. Luka attacked me from my back. That's against the spirit of fair play. So I believe, Luka should elaborate and publically speak an oration about count Pierre de Coubertin, Olympic Games Fair Play idea and this sort of things."  
"Alternative punishment!" said Doctor Bornish with laugh. "Maybe you could one day be good curator, Adrien. I'm good with that. I recommend this to be placed upon record and for now it will be the way to close this cause. Does any participant disagree?"  
Nobody said anything.  
"So, Mr. Damocles, if you allow me to your computer and printer, I'd write the text of this statement and all participants should sign that. I have power of attorney to sign it as Mr. Agreste junior legal representative."  
Adrien thought for a moment, that it would be nice to have rather his father here. Luka had here his family. All he had here is an expensive jovial lawyer, however evidently more efficient for results, than mother and sister for his opponent.  
Doctor Bornish observed Luka for some moments, reading his body language and face expressions.  
"Mr. Couffaine, you probably have no idea, how lucky you are!" said lawyer.  
"Pardon me?" musician was confused. "Lucky?"  
"Yes!" lawyer looked on him with palpable disgust. "If you succeeded yesterday with killing Miss Dupain-Cheng, I promise you, I would be after you and even if state procureur would drop your charge, I would not. I would do my best to send you into slammer and I would do that 'pro bono publico'…"  
"Pro bono?" Luka looked confused.  
"Pro bono publico," said Adrien. "It's from Latin. That means, Doctor Bornish would make prosecution and take a legal action against you without demanding money, just for to make the world here around be better."  
"I strongly believe, that every really great lawyer should time by time do something that," said Doctor Bornish. "Just to feel, one is still an human being."  
Luka observed lawyer and shivered in hard-to-explain feeling of fear…  
"Second reason you should feel lucky is fact, you did not hit my client's nose, when you tried to do so," Doctor Bornish smirked. "As Mr. Agreste junior is in fact face of Gabriel Brand. So his face is insured for five million Euro. So if you broke his nose, insurance company would pay his father this sum of money and try to guess yourself, from WHOM they would need refund these money?"  
"From ME?!" Luka's face was of pure horror.  
"Trust me, Luka, I'm worth of ALL these money!" smirked Adrien. "But I somehow can't imagine, how could you save so much in reasonable time?"  
The grudge in faces of all three Couffains quickly changed into fear.  
"And there is also third reason," continued lawyer. "If my client decided to kick you a little higher, some twenty centimeters would be enough, head and neck trauma would be lethal for you. Remember celebrate today as day of your second birthday. It would be uneasy to prove at court of justice, that your death was intentional, not just accident during legitimate self-defense."  
Doctor Bornish finished text and removed papers from printer.  
"So, sign that here, here, and also here!" he explained to everybody. "Two copies of this document will be deposited also in archive of court of justice. By the way, there is an interlocutory injunction for you, Mr. Couffaine. This is ninety days valid Restraining order from court of justice, ordering you not to come closer, than twenty meters to my client, if out of school territory and closer, than five meters, if inside of school. Breaking this order is considered as Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice and would lead to hearing in trial at court of justice. I strongly believe, you don't want to have a criminal record. Restrain order starts to be valid from twelve o'clock today."  
Lawyer placed a paper into Luka's right hand.  
"Read it carefully," said to blue-haired boy. "You can ask this Restraining order to be cancelled. All it just need from you to press a charge for a nullity of this interlocutory injunction. I'm really looking forward to meet you at trial."  
Luka looked like a cornered rat. But there was nobody in contact distance he could bite right now…  
"I strongly believe, we made here everything to be made," said Doctor Bornish. "It was an interesting time to meet you all, but it's time for a lunch break. You all have my business card, so if there is anything unclear, don't hesitate to ask me for explanation. My usual price is six hundred Euro per hour. Mr. Couffaine, my another humbly recommendation for you is not to get akumatized again. Seemed to me, Chat Noir doesn't like you and is probably ready to deliver on his promise to you."  
With these words he grabbed Adrien and literally dragged him out of Principal Damocles' office. All Adrien was able to do was made another polite smile and wave for good bye. To his surprise, all people inside waved him back…  
All three Couffaines looked on each other in horror and felt, like if they almost drowned…  
Principal Damocles felt relief, as Doctor Bornish scared him even more, than André Burgeois, Major of Paris…

XXXXXXX

Doctor Bornish escorted Adrien to his car. Adrien expected something expensive and fashionable, but it was just an common Renault, quite an old model, but still not a veteran car…  
"Well, there are improvements, like bulletproof glass and so on," said amused lawyer. "But for my job less noticeable car is usually better. For cases I need it, I have similar limousine like your father uses on daily bases. But I do not need to show how rich and important I am, for me is simply enough to BE rich and important."  
Adrien smiled and nodded.  
"Wise. Once I am to choose my own car, I'll follow your recommendation."  
"I'm not sure, what was Mr. Damocles' motivation to agree with your expulsion from school. Probably he's just close to his pension age and wanted just spend the rest of his working days on his position without bigger upheavals. I showed him, that his way would lead to big inconveniencies for him and as result he could be finally fired from his position. If Mr. Couffaine is an excuse for musician, Mr. Damocles is an excuse for pedagogue."  
Lawyer shook his head in disbelief, but a moment later he smiled on Adrien.  
"I'm going to ask quite a money from your father for my service here," nodded Doctor Bornish. "So I'd wish to buy you at least a lunch."  
"I promised Marinette to come for lunch to her place. Would you mind, if I call her? I want ask, if we could go there together?"  
"It would be interesting to meet girl, because of which well-known calmest boy-model bashed up that blue-haired excuse for musician. Your father told me about your characterization of Mr. Couffaine and it perfectly fits to him."  
"Her family runs small Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie on 12 Rue Gotlib in the 21st arrondissement of Paris," explained Adrien.  
"Fine, I know where to go. Just make your phone call!"  
Adrien dialed Marinette's number.  
"Adrien, hi!" he heard girl's voice. "Is there any trouble, you're late or you can't go at all?"  
"I'm with Doctor Bornish, my father's lawyer. I promise to explain everything later. Can we come together for lunch? I guess, he has something to say to you and to your parents too."  
"Are you in troubles?" Marinette sounded worried.  
"Hard to say yes or no," answered Adrien. "Doctor Bornish could explain better."  
"I'll tell to my mum," said Marinette. "But better, come both of you quickly! Lunch pause is not that long."  
"We are both invited," said Adrien to lawyer.  
"So you are one of those, who think, lawyers are like vampires, they could come only if being invited!" laughed Doctor Bornish.  
For Adrien it was surprise, this man could have a sense of humor.  
"You evidently can stay on sunlight," answered Adrien. "That part with sharpened aspen wood stick we should better omit."  
That caused lawyer real burst in laugh.  
"I really appreciate that. Enough once people said, lawyers have no hearts."  
With that they sat into car.  
"Stop me here, please!" said Adrien, pointing on flower shop.  
"True gentleman!" said Doctor Bornish, but nodded. "Do you have enough of money?"  
"No worry!"  
In flower shop Adrien purchased two roses, one dark red and pink one.  
"Let me guess," said lawyer. "Dark red for mother, pink one for daughter."  
"Naturally," answered Adrien. "So here we are."  
As Marinette's parents' bakery was so close to school, it was in fact a nonsense to use car to get there.  
"Let me introduce myself," said lawyer. "I'm Roger Bornish, Agrestes' family lawyer."  
He gave several business cards to Tom Dupain.  
"Sabine Dupain, welcome here." "Tom Dupain, is something wrong with Adrien, that he needs a lawyer?"  
"He explained some basic rules of good behavior to Mr. Couffaine. Mr. Couffaine tried to get Adrien expelled from school or maybe even charged for bodily harm, but I came on scene and things quickly changed."  
"In what sense?" asked Tom confused. "His harm disappeared or what?"  
"Nope," smirked Doctor Bornish. "But formulation in his medical record allowed me to say, his traumas were only closed to minor or bagatelle. During trial the security cameras footage would show, he attacked Mr. Agreste junior as first. So there's no reason to punish Mr. Agreste for justifiable self-defense. Mr. Couffaine finally understood and threw the towel in."  
In that moment Marinette came down from her room. Adrien found himself uneasy to speak. He was sure his lower jaw just hit the floor. What she wore was probably meant as the costume for next Saturday Halloween party. Her jacket and relatively short skirt were both made from olive green fabric, with wide belt and brass buckles and with cream-colored white neckband. Under skirt she wore leggings, left legging leg was ochre colored, right was cream-colored white, same as the neckband.  
Lawyer nodded:  
"You're right Adrien. She's worth to fight the whole world for her."  
Looking for her costume Doctor Bornish made a bit theatrical obeisance.  
"Mademoiselle, my client is right, choosing you as his life partner."  
Everybody looked on lawyer in confuse.  
"How could you know?" asked Adrien.  
"I can easily read your body language, once Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng appeared. And you are either better actor, than I consider as probable in your age, or you're just a lost man. Well… You could hardly chose better girl to be lost because of her. My tariff for a wedding contract is eight hundred Euro, by the way…"  
Doctor Bornish laughed, but no one joined him.  
Marinette made courtesy only by her head.  
"That's a bit early, I'm just sixteen."  
"No, it's just a perfect time to prepare things perfectly collected, once you're in legal age," objected lawyer.  
Doctor Bornish smiled and turned to Sabine:  
"Madame Cheng, I promised my client to buy him a lunch. Could you help me not to look as bluff artist."  
"Mr. Bornish, we were ready to feed Adrien for free, so there is no need to pay us for it. You can also feel to be invited."  
"That's really nice from you, but I'm going to need for a relatively high sum of money from Mr. Agreste senior. So it's only fair, if I pay at least part of those money to you, consider it as good turn. I like this place a lot, it has quite a specific atmosphere, like somewhere inside family or so. Maybe we could make another business deal together, Madame Cheng. I have some clients, not from organized crime or violent criminal, lawyer's honor, who would better accept this place for some short lunch with client, than usual restaurant I use to use."  
"But there is often a lot of people, you could be heard by somebody, if speaking with your client…" objected Tom.  
"Monsieur Dupain," smiled Doctor Bornish on him. "The kind of secrets you're speaking about I naturally say STRICTLY only in my office. But for ice-breaker meetings and similar cases this place looks as ideal. Not mentioning fact, your cakes look really delicious."  
Tom smiled an nodded to Sabine:  
"What do you mean, darling?"  
"If you inform us in advance, we could prepare something for you and make some arrangements for such a case," Sabine smirked to lawyer. "At least some chairs here and there. We usually do not use this place as restaurant, but for a friend of our friend we can make also a friendly pricing, I strongly believe."  
Sabine offered her right hand to shake with Doctor Bornish, her best mercantile grimace on her face. Adrien almost expected, she would spit on her hand for symbolical confirmation of deal, as horse chafferers traditionally do…  
Doctor Bornish on the other hand made his genuine sincere smile, making Adrien to remember, how one could recognize, that lawyer is lying. Answer is, his lips are moving…  
In moment, when Sabine and Doctor Bornish shook their hands, door opened without knocking and Luka stormed inside.  
"MARINETTE!" screamed. "I NEED TO TA…"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23)

Luka looked around. Marinette's mother shook her hand with damned Adrien's damned lawyer, keeping in her left hand dark red rose. Adrien still kept pink rose and observed Luka like a piece of shit, made by feral dog invader. Marinette's father observed Luka too, however rather scared, like if Luka was just to reakumatize into Sicarius again. And Marinette was in beautiful dress, most probably meant to be her costume for party next Saturday. It was evident, she did not dress up for him, not for Luka, her marvelous soul-reading musician, but for HIM, for God-damned Agreste, who never saw, how unique Marinette is…  
"AGRESTE!" shouted Luka. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?"  
"I was invited to lunch," said Adrien calmly and relatively silently. "My lawyer was also invited. But there's another question. Were you invited here?"  
"Mr. Couffaine," Doctor Bornish gave Luka disdainful look. "Remaining here you broke the rules of Restraining order. I could ask Police to escort you out of my client vicinity. But I would prefer authorities not to be involved for quite a minor wrongdoing."  
"Or will you want us to leave, Marinette?" asked Adrien.  
"No Adrien, I invited you both and I want you stay here," answered girl.  
"As my daughter told," said Tom.  
"Mr. Couffaine, I'm not an expert in music, but seems to me, songs about unhappy love are usually better, than those about the happy one," said lawyer. "So now I recommend you to leave this place."  
There are several kinds of silence. Silence in Tom's and Sabine's Bakery was the kind known as 'The Embarrassing Silence'…  
"Let's see, what finally crawled from the hole under that flat stone!" breached Adrien finally the silence. "Tom, do you have here a really BIG plastic thrash bag? I mean human body sized…"  
"What for?" asked Marinette's father.  
"There's big piece of garbage I should better pack and throw into dust bin," Adrien turned to Marinette's mother: "Sabine, could you keep this rose for a while? I don't want to get it crumpled."  
Sabine nodded. Somebody chuckled and Marinette ran the stairs down.  
"ADRIEN!" she shrieked. "What are you doing?"  
"Something I should do long time ago," said Adrien and once Marinette was close enough, he passed her the pink rose.  
"My lady," said with a bit theatrical bow and kissed top of her hand. "Be careful, this beautiful rose has long and sharp thorns."  
He turned back to Luka, positioning himself to face opponent by his left side, prepared to use his left hand as shield to break any attack Luka could use and simultaneously prepared to be ready attack himself by right hand, like if he has shield and sword.  
Marinette grabbed his right hand. She did it with quite a strength.  
"You should not brawl. Violence is no solution."  
Adrien rethought his strategy. He shifted his weight on his right foot, preparing to do direct kick by left. As he was unsure, whether Marinette would release him in time, he needed to be ready for only one-handed fight. He could use her weight as an anchor during fight. But his lawyer decided to play another trump card.  
"Au contraire," said Doctor Bornish. "Violence, and armed violence, should be accented, was, what helped to solute slavery, fascism, nazism, and communism as well… By the way, Mr. Couffaine, before you do something really unreasonable, I should warn you. I own firearm permit and I have here my gun loaded and ready to use. I don't think, your akuma outfit from yesterday was bulletproof."  
Luka stared on lawyer in total disbelief. Now, here, this monstrous person recommended his opponent to use violence? He is even speaking about using gun! Against musician, the minstrel of love songs?! Really?! Does that really happen?!  
"But…" Marinette was unable to find proper answer.  
Adrien rolled up his sleeves. It was not easy with Marinette still keeping his right hand in firm tight.  
"Easy way or hard way?" asked to Luka.  
Adrien's green eyes were cold and grimace of is face promised pain. Great pain in fact… Luka stayed like being frozen for a while. When he moved to Adrien, model boy simply grabbed Luka's left wrist by his left hand and placed his fingers on upper part off it. He squeezed musician's hand really painfully. Adrien's smile was the mask of disinterest…  
"Now there is enough to press here, not really strongly, and you'll play on guitar never more," said Adrien in conversational tone. "But I keep being merciful. I give you thirty second to leave this place for good. Don't leave here even your stink!"  
Adrien stepped back from Luka, who was paralyzed by horror.  
"Once I count to zero, I'll zeroize you," said Adrien sotto voce. "Thirty, twenty nine, twenty eight, twenty seven, twenty six, twenty five, twenty four, twenty three, twenty two…"  
Luka made step back, than one more and finally he turned his back to Adrien and ran away.  
"That was unwise," said Doctor Bornish. He showed his left hand, where he undercover kept his phone. "Thankfully I have the whole incident recorded. So I could explain why both you and I lose our temper enough to death threat. We'll see, whether is Mr. Couffaine clever enough to try to contact authorities or another lawyer. I personally do not believe so…"  
Once Luka was away, only Marinette seemed stay being upset because of Doctor Bornish actions.  
"Why do you have gun?" asked Sabine.  
Marinette's mother was not upset, rather curious.  
"Policeman doesn't fit into my pocket," explained lawyer. "Not so many people know, editor in chief from Charlie Hebdo asked for firearm permit, but his request was rejected as unjustified. If it's not so tragic, it would be grotesque. Unfortunately establishment, no big difference whether Micron and his minions here in Paris or Brusellian EU-nuchs, prefers inhabitants being killed by armed criminals, rather than allow them to buy weapons to be able for protect themselves."  
One portion of Peking duck later said Marinette:  
"Adrien, you should hurry back to school. Once you'll finish it, come here. I'd need to do some measure to make your costume for Halloween party."  
"Fine, my lady," said Adrien with a deep bow and Cheshire cat grin.  
Marinette poked him into ribs and kissed him. Doctor Bornish foisted several banknotes to Sabine and accented:  
"Madame Cheng, I'm really looking forward for our future cooperation."

XXXXXXX

Five minutes later in lawyer's car Adrien asked:  
"Doctor Bornish, should we press an legal action against Mr. Damocles?"  
"I don't think so," said lawyer. "Your principal learned not to mess with you ever more, you could consider him as tamed. Other students aren't my clients. And he's not that evil to be worth of my work pro bono publico…"  
"OK," nodded Adrien.  
"One more thing, Adrien," said Doctor Bornish. "I'll inform your father and his assistant about what happened. I strongly believe, he'll need you to go to Mademoisele Dupain-Cheng strictly only with your bodyguard. I'm sorry, but I feel it as inevitable…"  
"Right, Doctor Bornish," nodded Adrien. "Better safe, than sorry. I should inform Nathalie as first."  
He dialed her number:  
"Nathalie, Doctor Bornish covered things effectively. But he considers it as necessary, that my activities today should be better covered by my bodyguard. Please, inform also father."  
"Sure, Adrien," answered Nathalie. "He will expect you at four P.M. before your school…"

XXXXXXX

In less, than five minutes after Adrien's leaving, Luka reappeared in Tom and Sabine bakery. It was evident, he stalked the place.  
"Do you want to buy some pastries?" asked Sabine, observing Marinette's stressed face.  
"I need to talk with Marinette," said Luka. "Closeted."  
"That will not happen," said Tom. "Yesterday you almost killed my only child and now you ask to be with her alone? No way!"  
"Dad, easy!" said Marinette. "We don't need closeted speech, Luka. I chose for Adrien. I chose him over you, I know, it's unfair, but you'll have to accept it. You say, you can hear music of one's soul. But there is another thing. Adrien is my soulmate. We found it just day before yesterday," girl partially lied, as she wished not to reveal herself as Ladybug to Luka or to her parents. "I forgive you tried to kill me, but I don't want to date with you anymore. Not because of you got akumatized, but because I really love Adrien. He was blind, but he sees me now and he makes me happy. Sorry to broke your heart, but you're more experienced in these things, than me or Adrien, I guess. You should find another girl. I wish you luck in that."  
Luka left without saying goodbye, he did not trust himself not to start cry…

XXXXXXX

Adrien check time and ran to his class. But door was blocked by Juleka.  
"Why do you need to destroy everything?!" she shrieked…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24)

Adrien was surprised, Alya came to him as backup. She probably knew, he would have problem to beat girl even in order to protect himself. Juleka was stronger, than Rose, he could hardly keep her hands in two-fingers grip.  
"What do you want?" blogger asked angry girl. "You and I both know, what is it about."  
"But…" Juleka almost sobbed. "Luka is so happy with Marinette and she loves him!"  
"I'm sorry," said Adrien. "But just day before yesterday I've found, she's the ONE for me. That we're soulmates. So I'll NOT give her up. No way once she agreed to be with me."  
"Who are you and where is Adrien Agreste?" asked Nino from inside classroom.  
"Freedom is addictive," said Adrien. "Father gave me some and now thanks to Luka the asshole my freedom is to be cut-down. Because that bozo decided attack me on eyes of so many witnesses. Without eyewitnesses I could simply bash him up to rounded cube, but with mess Luka did, I'll have to go everywhere by car with my bodyguard. Again!"  
Juleka focused on him, like if she tried to hypnotize him.  
"You could have any girl you want, why just Marinette?" asked Juleka.  
"Any girl?" asked Adrien with a bit evil-looking grin. "Means also you?"  
Alya, same as Juleka both looked on him confused, but in a second Alya burst in laugh:  
"He has point! Stay such, I must make a picture of your grimace…"  
Before Alya was able to prepare her phone, Juleka almost attacked her.  
"Thanks Alya, but I think, it's enough teasing her," laughed Adrien. "I believe, when Marinette and me made agreement, there's nobody to protest left."  
"Well, maybe Kagami and Chloé," said Nino, who came to look, where his girlfriend was.  
Adrien rubbed back of his neck.  
"Well, that could be quite a problem. But any way, I do NOT give up Marinette and finally everybody would have to accept it…"  
There was moment of silence.  
"Was it true?" asked Juleka after that moment. "Was it true, what your lawyer told?"  
"What do you mean?" asked Adrien. "Doctor Bornish is quite a talkative guy. He's paid for it. What cause do you question me?"  
"Was it true, that you could kill Luka during your brawl bare-handed?"  
"Couple times in fact," answered Adrien. "I let him live several times. Do for me a favor please. Explain it to that idiot of your brother, up to full comprehension. If he attacks Marinette or me another time, I would be merciless."  
"So you said Marinette or you?" asked Juleka.  
"Well, if he attacks another person I care about, I can also finish him, but why are you asking?" Adrien focused on Juleka back.  
"She's trying to be cunning," explained Alya. "You said Marinette's name as first."  
"That's just normal, simply natural," said confused Adrien.  
"That SHOULD BE natural," said Juleka. "OK, I'll try to speak some reason into my brother's ears. And yes, I remember, how Marinette was always head over heels because of you."  
"OR I'll beat some reason directly into Luka's head," said Adrien. "By the way, remember him, he owes hundred Euros to that girl, who lost her bet on him."  
With that he entered the classroom.  
"Once Marinette is sick, may I sit next to you, Adrien?" asked Lila, for Adrien's eyes literally appearing out of blue.  
"No way!" said Adrien. "I'm simply tired and disgusted of your lies and I don't want to see you even painted on picture!"  
"That was quite rude, Adrien," said Miss Bustier coming to his back. "You should give her at least some credit…"  
"Excuse me, Miss Bustier, but for obtain credit one needs credibility," objected Adrien. "I wonder, if Lila said one truthful sentence any time."  
"I tell TRUTH!" shrieked Lila.  
"Lila, you wouldn't recognize truth, even if that truth would walk to you, dance hula-hula around you and then bit your butt."  
After this poignant answer almost everybody laughed and Lila, red in face from wrath and abasement, moved to back bench.  
"You'll regret it, Agreste!" she promised in whisper.  
"Adrien!" said Miss Bustier. "After this lecture you'll go to Principal's office. I need him to decide, how this offence to your classmate should be punished."  
"Yes, Miss Bustier!" said Adrien and sat on his place.  
The rest of lecture was relatively normal.  
Adrien knocked on familiar door.  
Mr. Damocles observed him for a while, before asking a question:  
"Why are you here, Mr. Agreste?"  
"Miss Bustier considered some my statements as insults to Lila Rossi."  
"What did you tell her?"  
"That she told no single truthful sentence and that she would not recognize truth even if that truth would walk to her, dance hula-hula around her and bite her butt."  
Mr. Damocles laughed a bit, but make his face serious looking again:  
"Fine, Mr. Agreste. Consider yourself as being punished. I'd appreciate, if you excuse to Miss Rossi for using word butt when speaking about her. I hope not to see you here too soon."  
With that Adrien said Goodbye and left Principal's office.  
On the way to another lecture he was cornered by both Mrs. Mendeleiev and Miss Bustier.  
"We need to talk, Mr. Agreste," said obligate phrase Mrs. Mendeleiev.  
"I'm sorry, but I'm late for, actually, your lecture, Mrs. Mendeleiev," said Adrien.  
"Sure, Mr. Agreste," older teacher snorted. "World will not crumble into small parts, if we come to class together and a bit late."  
"You said not nice things about the French," accused him Miss Bustier. "Frenchmen are not born-to-betray, as you depicted our Nation on TV."  
"Miss Bustier, I'm extremely sorry to say that, but I say nothing about Frenchmen being betrayers. It was all Chat Noir."  
"But it's YOU, who's Chat Noir," said Miss Bustier. "You didn't deny that."  
"Off course I didn't deny that!" explained Adrien. "Have you never see 'Yes, Minister' or 'Yes, Prime Minister'? As Bernard Woolley said, any proclamation should be considered as truth, once it is denied. So I do confirm or deny nothing. That simply…"  
When Adrien observed disappointed Miss Bustier, he said:  
"On the other hand, what's worth to mention, during German occupation, the number of Frenchmen killed by La Résistance for collaboration with occupants was bigger, than number of Frenchmen killed by those German occupants."  
"That's just an awkward statistical deviation!" almost shrieked Mrs. Bustier.  
"Caline, please!" said Mrs. Mendeleiev to Miss Bustier. "As teachers we have duty to respect the true, to respect every fact. Even if those facts do contradict to our conviction. So I must accept, Mr. Agreste has a point."  
"Scientists!" the way Miss Bustier told that word was almost like a curse. "Scientists and their numbers!"  
To Adrien's surprise Mrs. Mendeleiev winked on him.  
"Seems to me, we outnumbered her," said Science teacher pun to Adrien surprise. "So Mr. Agreste, time for the Royal Science of Mathematics!"  
Adrien chuckled and made a small bow.  
"After you, Madam!"  
"Nonsense!" said Mrs. Mendeleiev. "Run there and try to tame that pack of feral beasts! Before I'll come demanding their homework..."

XXXXXXX

After last lecture Kagami found Adrien and cornered him in corridor.  
Japanese girl gave him strange smile.  
"Hi Bakeneko!" cheered Kagami waving her hand.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25)

Alya smiled on her boy-friend:  
"Nino, could you please go buy food for our tinny little friends?" asked, as there were people around, she cannot use the word kwami.  
"Sure," nodded Nino, used for similar behavior from Alya. "My place or your place?"  
"I guess, better your, there it's a bit less overcrowded."  
Alya decided to follow and stalk Adrien. He behaved a bit strange, well more correct to say, stranger, than usually…  
Adrien was cornered by Kagami Tsurugi. Alya uttered a curse, well, only internally. Nobody observed her yet. She did not hear their dialogue, nor observed Adrien's face grimaces, and from Kagami's grimace she was unable to read anything. Grimace of Japanese girl was usual mixture of amusement and arrogance. Unfortunately, if she would decide to come closer, they would see her. Not that Alya suspected Adrien to cheat on Marinette with Kagami, well, almost not at all… But, she was SO curious, both as reporter and simply as woman…  
Finally both observed persons divided their solo way each. Alya decided to continue following Adrien…

XXXXXXX

"What?" asked Adrien back to Kagami. "Why do you name me after Japanese mythological demonic Cat?"  
"I observed on TV Chat Noir yesterday," smirked Japanese girl even more. "I mean his fencer duel with that Russian Père Noël parody. And he did exactly same mistakes and has the same fencer 'handwriting' like you. There is only one explanation. Means, Chat Noir is you."  
Adrien cocked his head with his usual kind half-smile.  
"Really?"  
"Really," nodded Kagami. "I could also easily deduce now, that Marinette is Ladybug. After what happened yesterday, you as Chat Noir most likely found Ladybug's true identity. Next day you declared your undying love for that girl… Well the way nobody was spared to hear about that…"  
"Kagami!" Adrien tried to stop her. "That's not the way I wanted to let you know."  
"I know," Japanese girl waved her hand.  
"I had my suspicions any way," she focused into eye contact. "I guess, it's real, am I not right, what would you say?"  
"You got it!" Adrien shook his head. "But what are you going to do?"  
"Do you think, I could blackmail you?!" Kagami looked even a bit more arrogant, so Adrien guessed, she is offended and irritated.  
"No, that's not what I mean," explained Adrien sheepishly. "I tried to be with you and I admire that time, but…"  
"But Ladybug is meant to be with Chat Noir, I see," said Kagami and nodded. "Not that I'm not sad and sorry. Off course I'm, as I really love you. But I know, there's hardly a way to fight the destiny. If only I could be a part of it all…"  
"Well, maybe you could be," said Adrien. "If you have some free time tomorrow morning."  
"Is that a date offer?" asked Kagami suspiciously with a wit smile.  
"No, sorry, Kagami, you told it yourself. I'm with Marinette. But due to some well, Miraculous, problems, I would really need a warrior of your quality."  
"Interesting offer," said girl. "What time and where should we meet?"  
"I could pick you up at about nine in the morning," answered Adrien. "Would it be convenient for you?"  
"OK, tomorrow nine A.M.," smiled Kagami. "See you!"  
Adrien left only to be confronted by Chloé almost at the school door.  
"Do you really want to be with Marinette?" asked blond girl. "Not with me?"  
"Yes, Chloé, I really do!" answered Adrien. "I will always support you. I will always be here for you, to help you with anything. Well that would not disturb my being with her. But you and I will not be in future, I believe."  
"She's just a clumsy girl, too nice and kindhearted to everybody. Even to those, who don't deserve it!"  
"Yes, that's one of things I love about her," answered Adrien with smile.  
"And I'm superheroine!"  
"I know, Queen Bee and I really admire you, I'm proud of you, proud of being your friend," Adrien made his smile even wider. "But love is something you can't demand or obtain as winnings. I'm sure, there's somebody for you."  
Chloé seemed to be brokenhearted, but she wiped off tears and shortly hugged Adrien.  
"I'd prefer me to be with you, but I'm glad, at least it's not Liary Rossi, who wined you over me."  
Adrien gave her his usual smile and waved good bye.  
The Gorilla awaited him at opened car door, showing to go in.  
"We need to go to Marinette's house, but first I need to buy some food," explained Adrien. "She's sick now, but I want to surprise her with barbecue, once she'll recover."  
Bodyguard nodded, still with his usual gloomy face.  
Inside of shop Adrien met Nino, who was evidently doing shopping for kwamis.  
"Preparing party?" asked him. "I think, once Marinette is healthy again, we should do barbecue for her. By the way, take some more lettuce. Biscuits we could get from her parents, but they have not so much of vegetables ready to use."  
Nino gave him strange and suspicious look. Adrien continued with ostensible unimportant chattering: "So Alya sent you to do shopping. I guessed, it usually begins just after wedding."  
"Said guy, who prepares barbecue for his sweetheart," laughed Nino. "Well, it's like trade. You want some benefits, without some exertion you got nothing. Not each of us is like you. Look bro, girls need their boys to smell well, be interested in arts, be presentable dressed, be observant, remember all anniversaries, write poetry, be attentive listeners, bring them flowers, watch romantic films with them… But they don't understand, actually such boys usually have their own boyfriends already…"  
Both boys laughed, even the Gorilla almost smiled.  
"I do most of that and I'm not into boys!" objected Adrien.  
"Well, bro, but you're strange exception," smiled Nino. "If I don't want to say abomination."  
Adrien laughed and jokingly punched Nino's shoulder: "So see you, Nino!"  
"See you, dude!" laughed Nino back.  
The Gorilla gave Nino strange look, shook his head and made grimace forcing Nino leave the shop much more quickly…  
Adrien purchased eight parcels, each of 250 g of refrigerated unfrozen beef meat and several family sized packages of Camembert.  
"Don't tell my father about food," asked Adrien. "You know, how crazy is he with healthy diet for model. Maybe he thinks, I'm rabbit."  
The Gorilla nodded, but showed Adrien to move more quickly. Bodyguard did not mention, that using that amount of Camembert in barbeque would lead to chemical alarm because of terrible smell…

XXXXXXX

Sabine smiled, seeing Adrien:  
"She's upstairs, awaiting you."  
"I have some food," Adrien showed his shopping bag. "Once she's good again, we'll make barbeque for her."  
"Second fridge on your left," showed Sabine and smiled even more. "That's nice from you."  
"He's perfectly safe here," said Sabine to the Gorilla. "Wait a moment here, please!"  
She ran into shop and in few seconds she was back with three croissants, gratinée with sausage and cheese each. The Gorilla almost smiled and nodded to thank Sabine.  
Adrien same time enter Marinette's room via her trapdoor.  
"Luka was here," said girl. "Just when you leaved, he reappeared. I told him not to come any more, but feel free to teach him to hear me."  
"Trust me m'lady, I could be a perfect teacher for dumb pupil. I'm sorry, but I'm here with the Gorilla, so I should leave soon, before he eats all goods here," Adrien joked. "Once I finish things in Agreste's Manor, I'll come here."  
"As my personal knight in shining black leather?" smirked Marinette. "I'll wait for you. Try to do not much noise during approaching."  
"Sure," nodded Adrien. "Will you need to measure me?"  
"Yes, take that shirt down!"  
"Don't you have some music for that?" Adrien's wit question made Marinette blush.

XXXXXXX

Alya observed Adrie's car parked next to entrance to bakery. His bodyguard was inside, but she knew, how she could sneak into Marinette's room without being observed. The Gorilla left the place to check the car.  
"Hi Kitsune!" heard Alya from her back not so familiar girl's voice.  
Once she turned, Kagami was there, with a wit half-smile on her face.  
"What!" asked Alya.  
Japanese girl looked on her with attention, like if she studied an strange insect, impaled on entomological pin.  
"I'm asking, Kitsune, whether are you stalking him, her, or them both?"  
"Whom do you think I'm stalking and what the Hell means Kitsune?"  
"Kitsune is fox demon in our mythology," smirked Kagami. "Or would you rather prefer being named Rena Rouge?"  
Seeing consternated Alya's face she added: "And you're evidently stalking either Adrien Agreste, or Marinette Dupain-Cheng or both of them."  
"How?"  
"How did I figured out?" asked Japanese girl. "You're same tall, however you always chase after akumas and superheroes, you're never closed to cases with Rena Rouge and there's simply too little about her on Ladyblog. So it's simple to figure out, you don't write about Rena Rouge either, because you hate her, what's unlikely or, because you actually ARE Rena Rouge and you feel, it's better not to blow your own trumpet."  
"Did you figured out also other superheroes?" asked Alya consternated.  
"I did," smirked Kagami. "But I give you time till Monday, maybe you'll find yourself. After all, you're the reporter here."  
"I'm going to see, whether Marinette is in progress with Adrien," said Alya. "Would you go with me or is it too painful for you, once you wanted Adrien too."  
"Yes, Kitsune," smiled Kagami a bit sadly. "I want him. Really badly. But he's too in love with Marinette and she's good girl, whom I could respect. I'll watch them for some time. If I'm not satisfied, I'd take action."  
Alya gave her a look. Kagami was somebody, no person with common sense wanted to be enemy with.  
"Let's go," she said finally. "I'm curious, how my BFF deals with Adrien."  
Both girls entered bakery from another side, so the Gorilla did not observe them.  
Sabine Cheng frowned on Japanese girl.  
She made a deep bow.  
"I am Kagami Tsurugi. I swear in my family honor, nobody from my family was ever in Nanking or take action in anything dishonest in China. My family is of warriors, so my ancestors and relatives took part in battles, but not in massacres of unarmed civilians."  
Sabine shortly nodded.  
"OK. If you harm my daughter or her boyfriend, I'd finish you. Do you trust me and do you understand me?"  
"I hear you sound and clearly!" said Kagami. "I swear not to attack anybody as first."  
"That would be difference from your behavior as akuma," chuckled Alya.  
"What I did as akuma was influenced by Hawkmoth," frowned Japanese girl. "It was a shame for me and I'll do my best to avoid repeating that."  
"OK," said Sabine. "Marinette and Adrien are upstairs. Alya, you know the way."  
Both girls silently and quickly ran the stairs.  
"So you two lovebirds…" said Alya, opening the trapdoor.  
She stepped aside, so Kagami could also enter Marinette's room. They both observed half naked Adrien, being measured with tailor's tape measure in Marinette's hands.  
Marinette squeaked and almost trapped, but Adrien caught her into firm hug.  
"Don't worry, m'lady," he whispered into her ear.  
"So, what is it here?" asked Alya.  
"I need to measure him for costume for Halloween party next Saturday," explained Marinette.  
"What costume?" asked Alya consternated a bit.  
"Adrien will be Robin Hood and I'll be Marion."  
"Good," smirked Kagami. "Adrien, you should buy two longbows and quivers. Also do not forget archer's bracers."  
"With longbow they could hardly dance," said Alya. "Rather shorter bows for mounted archery. They could hardly use it to hunt or kill anything."  
"That beats all fun from that!" laughed Kagami.  
"OK, OK," said Adrien. "I think, we should leave Marinette, so she could better recover, while sleeping."  
He wore his shirt, being his back to both Alya and Kagami, giving that way time for Plagg to hide inside.  
"Go! Go! Go!" he moved his hands, like if he drove them back.  
Alya giggled and Kagami gave both her and Adrien annoyed look.  
"It was nice from you to make a visit here, but it's time to go," said Adrien and Sabine gave him a wink. "See you both!"  
Alya and Kagami left, observing Adrien sitting in his car.  
"He hides something," said Kagami.  
"Well, at least upstairs was not much left hidden," protested Alya.  
"He had his trousers still on," objected Kagami.  
"Maybe we came too soon," smirked Alya.  
"Maybe," nodded Kagami. "But his bodyguard was here, if they decided doing something well… 'interesting' would mean, the Gorilla would leave this place, not wasting time."  
"Maybe you're right," said Alya. "I know, you like him, but I ship Adrien being together with Marinette, not with you. No offence."  
"None taken, Kitsune."

XXXXXXX

When Adrien entered Agreste Manor, Nathalie awaited him.  
"Your father awaits you for dinner in ten minutes."  
"Is he mad, because of brawl?"  
"Well, he would prefer it, without pub brawl scenes*," said his father's assistant. "But we managed to use the necessary ballyhoo for promotional purposes after your Sunday photoshoot."  
(For picturesque pub brawl scene find on internet picture "Josef Lada Rvacka v Hospode")  
Nathalie beckoned Adrien to go to dining room.  
"May I have your phone?" she asked and boy nodded and handed it over to her.  
As Adrien expected, dinner was vegetable salad, 'rabbit food', as usual.  
"So had you a good time?" asked Gabriel.  
"Yes father," Adrien smiled and nodded.  
"May I see your ring?" demanded his father.  
"Better not, it's uneasy to take it down," equivocated boy.  
Gabriel stood up.  
"GIVE ME YOUR MIRACULOUS!" he shrieked.  
Adrien glared on his father in disbelief.  
"Nooroo, dark wings…"

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author's note:  
"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  
These words from Neil Armstrong became world-famous, remembered for ever. On July 20, 1969, when 50 years ago first men landed on Moon surface. That was probably the biggest success of human race in history, what should be never forgotten…


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26)

When Moth kwami appeared, Adrien did not waste time nor hesitated. In moment his father demanded for his ring, boy started to stand up and now he grabbed his plate and threw it like an Frisbee to his father. Gabriel got off course no hit, he parried it by left hand, but his catchphrase was interrupted and he did not transform to Hawkmoth immediately.  
Nooroo pretended being scared and moved away, to slow next attempt of Hawkmoth's transformation and to buy some time for Adrien. He knew, Gabriel will punish him for that later, but now he has to help Black Cat Miraculous holder…  
Adrien ran towards window.  
"Plagg, claws out!" ordered running fast.  
Few seconds later he, transformed already, shouted "CATACLYSM!" and jumped through window crumping into dust.  
"If I'm allowed to say that," said Nathalie. "You screwed up royally, sir."  
"Tell me something I don't know!" answered Gabriel. "But when he showed being so calm, I just simply lost my temper."  
"Hghmm…," snorted his assistant. "What will Adrien do? What do you think?"  
"I believe, he runs to Marinette, to protect her," said fashion designer.  
"Should I transform too and help you to catch him?" asked Nathalie.  
"I guess, better stay here and try to find something usable in his phone," Gabriel shook his head. "What bugs me a bit is problem, once Chat Noir has said, Ladybug's abilities don't work, that her Miraculous could become just a jewelry good for none…"  
"But IT IS possible!" blurted Nooroo. "Tikki as kwami could die, if being attacked after being deadly exhausted or really deadly ill. Yes, she would be replaced by newborn kwami of Creation, but without Tikki's personage and without bonds to Ladybug's Miraculous."  
"WHAT?!" Gabriel shrieked. "Nooroo! You IMBECILLE! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
"But Master!" protested Nooroo.  
"We WILL talk about that later. Nooroo, dark wings rise!"  
As Hawkmoth he turned to his assistant again:  
"Try to find something usable in Adrien's phone. If you find potential location of Master Fu's place, let me know."  
"At least he didn't cataclysmed you, but the window," said Nathalie.  
"Sure," nodded Gabriel. "He's good boy. I mustn't harm him and evidently I shouldn't harm Marinette. But I MUST force them to give up their Miraculouses. I simply MUST do that!"  
Nathalie wisely did not comment that…

XXXXXXX

Adrien, being Chat Noir right now for rest five minutes, ran towards Tom and Sabine bakery.  
He felt to be lost now. His schoolbag was forgotten in Marinette's room. He did not think he would need to run in haste. His phone was in Nathalie's hands, he had no money, no phone, and no Camembert for Plagg. So once his transformation falls, he'll need to run there by foot. So he needed to make at least two phone-calls.  
"Master Fu!" Adrien called old master first. "My father revealed himself as Hawkmoth and demanded for my Miraculous. He has my phone, so he can find GPS coordinates of your place. I really hope, you're out of your place now!"  
"Sure, Adrien!" answered Fu. "Will you come to me or to Ladybug?"  
"To Ladybug," answered Adrien. "I must protect her. Without her and without her lucky charm we're lost. I don't think, we coul safely escape. We should better try to fortify bakery for this one night."  
"It's probably worth to risk," agreed Master Guardian. "Risk of escape into the blind darkness is similar to risk fighting with Hawkmoth without lucky charm. We'll see, how many idiots will let themselves be akumatised."  
"I hope my warning was enough," said Adrien. "I'll let you know, once there will be anything new to report. Bye!"  
"Bye!" answered Fu.  
Short after that he called to his girlfriend:  
"Marinette, father just revealed himself as Hawkmoth. He demanded for my Miraculous. I used my powers and I have no food for Plagg right now, hard to say, whether I succeed to come without detransformation."  
"That's horrible!" said Marinette. "Are you OK?"  
"Well, if I ignore fact, that my father is idiot, who plays to be supervillain, terrorizing Paris and is probably on my heels and that's why we'll have to fortify your bakery and explain everything to your parents, yes and that your lucky charm is unavailable, everything is in best imaginable order and I could hardly feel better!"  
Adrien was sour, but Marinette giggled:  
"Don't worry, mom and dad will help for sure!"  
"I'd better prefer to do things without bothering our parents…"  
"It's not your fault, but of your father!" said his girlfriend.  
"And of Nathalie," added Adrien. "She most likely has Peacock Miraculous now, I believe, she's Mayora."  
"Probably," agreed Marinette. "Hurry up! I go to inform my parents."  
Adrien ran on rooftops, what helped him to avoid being observed by bystanders.  
"Son STOP!" shrieked Hawkmoth on his back. "We don't need to fight! We should collaborate and do things together, as family…"  
Adrien knew, it was a mistake to turn back. But he simply cannot help himself. He tried leap with his baton, but Hawkmoth easily dodged, even not using own cane to block it.  
"WHY?!" asked Chat Noir. "Why the fucking heck do you do all of this?"  
"For you!" answered Hawkmoth. "And for Emilia!"  
"Mum?!" asked Chat Noir. "What?!"  
"I will explain you everything," said Hawkmoth. "Just give me your and Ladybug's Miraculouses. Miss Dupain-Cheng could go with us as guest and observe everything…"  
"Forget it!" shrieked Chat Noir. "Leave her alone! Leave my friends alone! Leave me alone, as you always did so!"  
"But Adrien…"  
Black Cat Miraculous beeped for warning…  
"Later, father!" answered Chat Noir and jumped downstairs, running through the streets.  
The transformation dropped, with flesh of green lightning, once he was in some ten meters from bakery, thankfully nobody observed that. Plagg hided in his usual hiding spot and tiredly breathed. Adrien ran to the bakery door, when Tom opened door and pulled him inside.  
"So son, you're Chat Noir, what a surprise!" he said.  
Few seconds later Sabine appeared with one parcel of beef meat and one portion of Camembert.  
"What needs your kwami to eat?" asked.  
Plagg did not wait for invitation or anything, zipped out from hiding under Adrien' shirt and gobbled piece of Camembert almost with Sabine's fingers.  
"Plagg!" shrieked Adrien. "Behave yourself!"  
"He's hungry," said Sabine, patted kwami's little head and scratched on back of his ears. "He purrs!" she said in surprise.

XXXXXXX

Lila observed Marinette's house, plotting, what could she do to injure her concurrent female. She did her best to got mad enough to attract an akuma.  
When she observed green lightning and in next second Adrien running into Marinette's father's bakery, being pulled inside. Observing that caused Lila to be mad of wrath. Finally one akuma flied to her and infected her earring..  
"Hello Lila!" she heard Hawkmoth's voice in her own head. "Nice to work with you again!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27)

Luka observed Marinette's house from another street, preluding on guitar in his hands. He was thinking about serenade for Marinette. He was pretty sure, she could not resist his song, so he would win her back from that model clown. Strange fleshing of green lightning attracted his attention. He observed Adrien damned Agreste running, like with whole Hell on his heels. Luka did not know, who could chase after Adrien, but it seemed look like a good chance, somebody would do a dirty work of finishing model boy instead of Luka…  
To musician's disappointment, door of bakery opened and let Adrien in. Tom Dupain was acting, like if that boy was an hero from La Résistance or what the heck…  
Luka got really angry, he did not notice akuma, infecting his guitar.  
"Panthère Blanc," purred Hawkmoth's voice in his mind. "Chat Noir and Ladybug are protecting Adrien Agreste, helping him to date with girl you want so badly. Obtain for me their Miraculouses."  
"Yes, Hawkmoth!" answered Panthère Blanc…

XXXXXXX

"We must go to check Marinette upstairs!" said Adrien. Once his kwami ate piece of Camembert, he ordered: "Plagg, claws out!"  
As Chat Noir he hurried upstairs just to observe Hawkmoth nearing to Marinette, who without fear touched him with a little broom, just to let everybody observe disappearance of illusion.  
"This is the fifth one now," she said. "I guess Volpina is somewhere near."  
"Chat Noir, if you wish, I could check surroundings for potential enemies," offered Roar. "After that, Marinette could hide Tikki in her pocket and I could transform her. So she could join the battle, Tikki would be better protected and eve I could provide her a part of my own energy to accelerate her recovery."  
"Good idea, do it!" said Marinette. "Before you say anything Kitty, I'm tired of laying in my bed without possibility to do something."  
Chat Noir, as well as Marinette's parents decided rather to shut up…

XXXXXXX

Hawkmoth stopped to observe on one roof, with good view to Marinette's balcony. He found two enemies of both Marinette and Adrien, with perfect potential for akumatization. Lila Rossi, who was evil liar by her very own nature, and Luka Couffaine, after rejection he was almost non compos mentis.  
"Volpina, send some illusions of me to Marinette's room! Once I come there myself, she will not recognize true me."  
"Sure Hawkmoth!" laughed Volpina evilly. "She'll be scared to death!"  
Hawkmoth doubted it, but Lila was always expendable…

XXXXXXX

When Roaar returned, he saluted to Chat Noir:  
"True Hawkmoth is there on roof," he showed by his paw. "There downstairs is akumatized girl, similar to Rena Rouge a bit. Second akumatized is boy, now looking like a snow leopard with blue hairs on his head. He climbs here and will be here soon."  
"I bet, that it's Luka," said Chat Noir. "I'll give him a thrashing. If my father came here, try to stall him. In necessary case we could call other heroes to come here as backup."  
"OK," said Marinette, putting panjas bracelet on her right wrist and connected rings on her fingers. "I'll slap Volpina around. Each of us can have a good time."  
"Fine," said Roaar. "Take Tikki into your pocket and say 'Roaar, stripes on!' It's similar to your own kwami. Stripes off! It's for detransformation."  
Marinette placed tired Tikki into her pocket without waking her.  
"Roarr, stripes on!" ordered girl.  
When Marinette was transformed, she looked quite similar to Chat Noir. As weapon she had something like bullwhip, attached on her back on belt. Her ears were almost identical to Chat Noirs, but rounded, mask and costume were both covered with black and yellow stripes.  
"Meet Tigresse!" said Marinette.  
"It looks cool!" said Chat Noir. "I'll solve the imminent problem with Panthère Blanc. Hand Miraculouses to your parents and explain them rules."  
"Sure, mon Chatton," answered Tigresse and pulled him to quick hug and kiss. "Remember, don't let yourself be killed!"  
"Don't worry!" smiled Chat Noir back and left her bedroom upstairs to balcony. "I do catfights much longer, than him."  
Once he was there, he touched three Hawkmoths by his baton. None of them was real. He observed Panthère Blanc climbing upstairs and let his baton elongate into long stick, hitting akuma's head mercilessly. Panthère Blanc fell off a wall, but downstairs he landed on all four and picked himself up quickly. He had similar stick to Chat's Noir and cat themed hero only thanks to his fencing drill was not hit. Chat Noir followed Panthère Blanc down, well, a bit more gracefully and downstairs he got himself ready to fight…

XXXXXXX

Tigresse handed her mother Monkey Miraculous looking like circlet and small monkey kwami appeared.  
"So you'll be my wielder," said monkey kwami. "I'm Xuppu. Say Xuppu, Showtime! And I'll transform you into Monkey Queen. After the fun is done, say Xuppu Finish Show!"  
Sabine place circlet on her head and said: "Xuppu, Showtime!"  
Her transformation was wild and as Monkey Queen she darted upstairs, without a word.  
"Follow her!" said Tigresse and handed her father Dog Miraculous, looking like a torc.  
"Barkk to your servis!" appeared small dog kwami. "I usually guard objects, so I can grant you power to sniff out an intruder. Say 'Barkk, on patrol!' and 'Barkk out of patrol!'"  
"Bark on patrol!" said Tom.  
Transformed into dog themed hero, he made a short look on himself in mirror.  
"You can name me Beauceron!"  
Being transformed to Beauceron Tom had simple sheet-metal helmet and halberd with relatively short shaft. He looked like real guard dog, more, than when he was akumatized as Weredad.  
"If Hawkmoth come here, I'd kick his ass!" said and followed his wife.  
Tigresse heaved a sigh. Her parents were maybe a little bit too enthusiastic…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28)

Marinette, well, Tigresse now, came to balcony as last. She observed her parents, transformed into superheroes, destroying illusions of Hawkmoth as well as illusions of monsters of random type one-by-one…  
"It's so refreshing!" laughed her mother, Monkey Queen now, banging head of Darkblade with her staff just to observe his disappearing. "I understand, why do you love it that much."  
"OK, mum, dad, try to listen me for a moment!" asked Tigresse. "Hawkmoth could come here, covered by all these illusions. First of all, don't get killed or wounded! If possible, try to stall him for a while, maybe we could catch him together. If necessary, I could call for some other heroes as backup. But I'd rather prefer do everything tomorrow morning with Tikki ready to transform me. We simply need to keep this place safe, so she could rest enough to heal herself. I'll go first to settle things with Lila, she's here as Volpina, sending these illusions. Once I finish her, I'll be here to help you, but for now, please, be safe as first thing!"  
"Sure, Mari!" smiled her father. "But you must let us some fun!"  
"OK!" nodded Tigresse. "Just remember, you're who should be reasonable!"  
"Really?!" asked Monkey Queen and laughed loudly. "Now I feel like being in your age again! Give Volpina also one kick in my name!"  
Tigresse used her bullwhip similar way, as she was used to use her yo-yo as Ladybug. With that help she was quickly, but safe way downstairs and tried to find, where was Lila hiding.  
She observed several Volpinas, as was usual trick used by this akuma. Lashing with bullwhip destroyed all fake illusions. One last standing true Volpina kept her butts both-handed, where she got hit by whip. Tigresse laughed. That could hardly be even better! Now she could have some fun herself too! With several lashes of her whip she moved to akumatized girl. One simple idea and bullwhip elongated itself and looped around Volpina's body, fixing even one hand into bondage. Volpina panicked, jumped vertically, disengaging herself. Volpina, still in jump, used her flute and created another set of dozens of her images. These illusions ran into all vectors. Without using of special power Tigresse was unable chose, which of them she should chase. She had no ability to purify akuma, so there was in fact no sense continuing in this fight, once Lila managed to escape…

XXXXXXX

Luka, akumatized as Panthère Blanc was bigger and stronger, than Chat Noir. But on the other hand, he was no real warrior in civil life, contrary to his opponent. Panthère's attacks were unskillful and rather random swinging of staff, rather, than Chat's much more efficient blows and butt¬endings. Chat Noir changed to stick-fighting style 'le Moulinette', rotating his staff in his hands. The blow, hitting Panthère's Blanc right wrist, broke it and akuma lost his weapon. Chat Noir gave him another punch to keep him out of his staff.  
Whimpering Panthère Blanc made few steps out of Chat Noir, who broke akuma's staff, so well-known dark butterfly appeared and staff changed itself back to guitar with broken neck. Chat Noir tried to kill akuma with his own staff, but butterfly escaped easily into darkness. Panthère Blanc changed back to Luka, who looked being paralyzed by fear and surprise…  
Chat Noir grabbed broken guitar and stroke Luka's head with guitar, so that guitar sound board was around Luka's neck like a strange collard.  
Luka looked on Chat Noir confused.  
"Why?…"  
"Why do I harm you?" asked Chat Noir. "You managed to let be akumatized. I warned everybody not to do so before m'lady will be healthy and ready for action…"  
"But…" Luka was evidently upset, when he tried to speak again. "But I'm in love with Marinette and she chose that pimp and when he came here, I simply exploded…"  
"Pimp?" asked Chat Noir and cocked his head.  
"Adrien fucking Agreste!" shrieked Luka. "He was blind, not seeing her and I helped her when she was heartbroken. I succeeded fall in love with her and now he decided demand her for him himself…"  
"Whom did Marinette chose?" asked Chat Noir cold voiced.  
"Him…" almost sobbed Luka. "But that's so unfair!"  
"Life is unfair from its basement," answered Chat Noir. "Your behavior is insane and I believe you need a therapy. Meet your therapist!" said and showed his right boot.  
Before Luka was able to do anything, Chat Noir hurried to him and his heavy boot landed on Luka's butt so hard, that if Luka had not guitar sound board around his neck, his lips would kiss pavement.  
"When girl said, she doesn't want you…" -KICK!- "…you can try to cajole her…" -KICK!- "… but no way you dare try to kill her with dagger…" -KICK!- "… or invade her room in form of predator beast…" -KICK!- "… coming uninvited…" -KICK!-  
After sixth kick Tigresse appeared.  
"Mon Chatton, it's a way too cruel!" said and hugged Chat Noir from his right side.  
For Adrien's surprise Tigresse's bullwhip, now attached on her back on belt again, elongated itself and tied Chat's right and Tigresse's left legs together, even Chat's left leg was also fixed not to move. Tigresse kissed Chat Noir with strange hunger, probably caused partly thanks to excitement from fight and danger.  
When Luka stared on both superheroes in disbelief, Tigresse looked on him:  
"Run, you fool!"  
When Chat Noir tried to release himself from her hug, she tightened the grip.  
"Let that idiot go!" after whisper into Chat's ear she slightly bitted his ear.  
For Adrien it was like electrocuting shock, as he shivered by full his body.  
"So it works on you!" said Tigresse a bit triumphantly and laughed.  
"Sure!" answered Chat Noir by hiss into hear ear, biting her back and causing her similar effect. "None of us is made from stone!"  
Luka ceased starring and hobbled away…  
Once he disappeared from sight, both superheroes together moved to Marinette's balcony.

XXXXXXX

Hawkmoth missed the best time forhis attack. In moment, when he finally decided to jump to balcony of Dupain-Cheng bakery, Tigresse already drew Volpina away, so there were no new illusions. When he deflected Beauceron's halberd with his cane, Monkey Queen's staff hit his back.  
Tom, well Beauceron now, had to admit, Gabriel Agreste, aka Hawkmoth now, was better in fighting. He evidently trained fencing or maybe Canne de combat, French martial art with cane. With his walking cane he was able to deflect Beauceron's halberd and only longer range of Beauceron's weapon prevented Tom's disarmament. Without help of his wife, Monkey Queen now, he would lose this fight pretty quickly…  
"Nobody invited you here, Clothes Moth!" screamed Monkey Queen, hammering Hawkmoth's back with her staff.  
When Hawkmoth observed two other heroes appearing, he unsheathed sword from his cane, scabbard part in his left hand he used as cudgel and with sword he made several wild slash lunges to disengage from duel and jumped to balustrade around balcony.  
"As limbering-up exercise it was enough," said. "See you later!"  
With long jump he left for neighbor roof.  
"Should we follow him?" asked Beauceron with heavy breathing from strain.  
"Better not," said Tigresse. "Right now it's a draw, we'll finish that tomorrow, we need find also Mayura, holder of Peacock Miraculous."  
"That's most probably Nathalie, my father's assistant," said Chat Noir. "Father said something strange, when he chased me."  
"What?" asked Tigresse.  
"That he does everything because of my mother," answered Chat Noir. "I suspect, she didn't mysteriously disappear, but died and father hushed that up. Now he wants to return her back by Miraculous Wish. What scares me most is, what could be the price of such wish. There's no such thing like a free lunch," he explained and suddenly fainted…

XXXXXXX

Master Fu fastened Dragon Miraculous, beaded choker, on his neck.  
"Longg, bring the storm!"  
Being transformed into dragon was not his usual transformation, but he found it handy now, as Longg was willing to help him by his own power.  
Sass observed him for a moment:  
"Massster Dragon, give my Miraculousss into boxsss, but let me out!"  
"Why?" asked Master Fu.  
"I'll protect Miraculousss boxsss by my own powersss," explained snake kwami.  
Storage room, rented on fake name, was pretty anonymous, as Master Fu decided as the best.  
"OK," nodded, when placed Snake Miraculous into Miraculous Box. "Show yourself!"  
"Place the boxsss near the wall!" ordered Sass.  
Once Master Fu did so, Sass placed himself on top of Box, forming from his body something like lemniscate, symbol of infinity, biting his own tail.  
"Now sssay Sasss,'Ouroborosss Lock!'"  
"Sass, Ouroboros Lock!"  
Miraculous Box disappeared, likely into the wall, however Master Fu was quite sure, it was in fact hidden in an pocket dimension somewhere out of there…  
He could still observe Sass in lemniscate form on the wall.  
"Only sssomebody with magical abilitiesss could sssee me and I'll open only for you or for Ladybug," explained snake kwami.  
Master Fu knew, if somebody would try to open the Box, Sass's neurotoxin would paralyze such cheeky bastard effectively…  
"I'll go to see, whether did Hawkmoth found my place or did not yet."

XXXXXXX

Chat's Noir transformation dropped and extremely pissed Plagg appeared.  
"What do you gawk on?!" he almost screamed. "He hadn't properly rested for a pretty long time and the rabbit food his father orders to be served is for no good. He needs more sleep and more cheese and same do I need too!"  
Beauceron tried to lift Adrien from floor, but boy came around, same suddenly as he fainted. He quickly winked with his eyes and slowly turned his head.  
"Did I lost conscious?" asked silently.  
"Yes, for a moment," answered Tigresse. "How do you feel?"  
"Drained," said Adrien. "Sorry, maybe I'm not such a help I should be…"  
"Nonsense!" said Monkey Queen. "Tom will help you to bathroom for to do night hygiene, I'll find some pajama for you and you'll eat something. We can watch this house through the night, so you two could take off soon in the morning."  
"Fine," aid Tigresse. "Roaar, stripes off!"  
Tiger kwami looked sadly on Adrien on floor.  
"This will not be easy tomorrow, Chat Noir," he said. "Now I'll need a piece of raw meat and I could help you with watching this place."  
Marinette looked on Adrien with disagreement.  
"You were needlessly cruel to Luka!" she accused.  
"I'm Yang to your Yin," said Adrien. "Luka is just another Yin. Yin-Yang means harmony. Yin-Yin is just a name for panda. That cretin reappeared more regularly, than raw broccoli."  
"Adrien, I really love you, but you should be a bit less jealous. I like Luka, probably same way like YOU like Chloé Burgeois."  
"Really ONLY that way?" Adrien looked suspiciously, but on the other hand, he was happy Marinette did not mention Kagami Tsurugi…

XXXXXXX

Hawkmoth called to Nathalie:  
"Did you found something in Adrien's phone?"  
"There's massage parlor, sir," said his assistant. "Owned by an Chinese. I already sent you GPS coordinates."  
"That's probably Master Fu's place," agreed Hawkmoth. "I'll check it. You were right Nathalie, you should go with me, with your help I could possibly win. But never mind, we'll defeat them tomorrow, I'm quite sure, they'll come here."  
"Sure sir," answered Nathalie. "I'll switch the security on higher level."  
"Do that!" ordered Hawkmoth. "I'll have a conversation with Master Fu now."  
He moved to place according coordinates.  
On door was a simple notice 'For family reason closed. Clients will be informed before reopening.' So Adrien informed Miraculous Guardian…  
"Hello, Gabriel!" he heard from his back.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29)

During shower Adrien several times almost blackened out. Pajama Tom offered him was so big, that he could accept an lodger inside…  
He sat on sofa, trying not to fall asleep right on place. When Marinette appeared with four croissants, gratinée with ham and cheese inside of each, he smiled:  
"Thanks, but that's too much."  
"I's not only for you, two are for me," smiled Marinette back. "I suppose you're not against having dinner with me now."  
"Sure," nodded Adrien. "I love you and I love spending time with you."  
During dinner they both were in silence.  
"I'm sorry. I'm not the best companion right now, muttered Adrien.  
"Nonsense," said Marinette. "There are moments, when we can just stay quiet together…"

XXXXXXX

Баллада о борьбе Ballad about battle

Владимир Высоцкий Vladimir Vysotsky, transl. Alex Lvovsky

Сpедь оплывших свечей и вечеpних молитв, Amidst molten candles and sundown prayers  
Сpедь военных тpофеев и миpных костpов Amidst war trophies and fires of peace  
Жили книжные дети, не знавшие битв, Lived book children, who knew no battles  
Изнывая от мелких своих катастpоф. Anguishing their minor catastrophies

Детям вечно досаден Children always complain  
Их возpаст и быт, - of their age and their lot  
И дpались мы до ссадин, And we fought until slain  
До смеpтных обид. And schemed mortal plots.  
Hо одежды латали And our clothes were patched  
Hам матеpи в сpок, By our mothers with haste  
Мы же книги глотали, We then swallowed books  
Пьянея от стpок. Getting drunk of the taste.

Липли волосы нам на вспотевшие лбы, Hair stuck to our sweaty foreheads,  
И сосало под ложечкой сладко от фpаз, Phrases sucking air right out from our guts,  
И кpужил наши головы запах боpьбы, And our heads spun by combat's fragrance,  
Со стpаниц пожелтевших слетая на нас. From the yellowed pages descending on us.

И пытались постичь And attempted to reach  
Мы, не знавшие войн, We who knew battles not  
За воинственный клич With a war-calling screech  
Пpинимавшие вой, Giving it all we got  
Тайну слова "пpиказ", Secret of "order" was passed  
Hазначенье гpаниц, Borders suddenly sprang  
Смысл атаки и лязг What it means to attack  
Боевых колесниц. And war chariots clang.

XXXXXXX

Juleka observed her brother returning home. He was evidently broken by some disaster. Luka kept wreck of his guitar in his arms like a death baby. He terribly hobbled.  
"What has happened?" asked Juleka.  
"Chat Noir destroyed my guitar," answered Luka.  
"Why would one of Paris heroes do that?" Juleka was surprised.  
"I observed Marinette's house and Agreste came there."  
"Adrien Agreste or Gabriel Agreste?"  
"Adrien."  
"Good, so you observed Marinette's house and after Adrien's arrival Chat Noir destroyed your guitar. Sorry bro, but that sounds like a nonsense to me."  
Luka preferred to look on destroyed guitar.  
"I got akumatized."  
"So, you observed Adrien coming to his girlfriend and you got akumatized. Is it so?"  
"Marinette's father invited him like an hero or what."  
"Maybe he is a hero," said Juleka thoughtfully. Could Adrien be Chat Noir himself? She did not say it aload.  
"Nonsense!" Luka's answer was brusque. "Agreste is nothing better than just a spoiled brat from rich family."  
Juleka knew, her brother was wrong, but he was evidently not in mood to hear the voice of reason. She shook her head.  
"Chat Noir warned everybody not to get akumatized BEFORE Ladybug is back in business. You ignored this warning. Now place somewhere that wreck. Maybe, if you are SUPER lucky, miraculous cure could restore it, once Ladybug will recover. And Adrien asked me to warn you. Next time he will have no mercy with you."  
Luka stared on his sister in disbelief. Does she side Agreste against own brother? Without another word he moved to his bed…

XXXXXXX

Gabriel Agreste turned to the voice on his back. Man, more than two heads less tall than him, in dragon costume looked on him with knowing smile.  
"Weng Fu," answered Hawkmoth. "Seems, Adrien informed you."  
"Yes, Gabriel, why do you do that?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"You don't need more money, you have perfect son, cute house. I don't think you're powerthirsty man. So why doing all this akumatizations?"  
"Because of my wife."  
"What has happened to her?"  
"She used Peacock Miraculous. Do you know Adrien well?"  
"Not perfectly, but quite well," answered Master Fu.  
"His green eyes, it's not his only genetic heritage after his mother. She had also feather allergy, same as my son has. And using that Miraculous, she was all in feathers, totally covered. Her allergic reaction was so strong, it killed her, like an magical anaphylactic shock. We had no idea, magically created feathers could cause allergic reaction too."  
"Is she really dead?" asked Master Fu. "Miraculous should protect its wielder. On the other hand, vital power released by death caused by Miraculous should damage that Miraculous."  
"Yes, Peacock Miraculous is damaged. It works, but drains powers of its wielder."  
"I could check your wife, if body was not really destroyed, maybe there is another chance, than The Wish."  
"Be my guest, Master Fu," answered Gabriel. "But I need to keep upper hand."  
"That's not how it works," Miraculous Guardian gave him sad smile. "I need both Miraculouses returned into my hands prior I try to find healing for your wife. Remember one thing. The Wish is powerful, but also dangerous. The Universe needs to be balanced. If the Universe return your wife, it would need repay for that. Life for life. And not a random life, nor your or for example my life. The Universe would need almost for sure life of your son. Would you trade your only son, your future, for your wife, for your past?"  
Hawkmoth tried to attack Master Fu with his sword, he suddenly unsheathed from his cane.  
Master Dragon breathed out some flames:  
"Moths are not flameproof. Think about what I said."  
With these words Master Fu disappeared into darkness…

XXXXXXX

Adrien's sleep was rather like a coma. When Marinette came to check him, she observed, his breathing is shallow and weak. When she touched his forehead, she was surprised, how cold his skin seemed to her. His kwami lied on pillar placed on chair next to his head.  
"What's wrong with him, Plagg?" Marinette asked grumpy Black Cat kwami.  
"He's tired," answered Plagg. As his answer was not fierce, Marinette recognized, it could be really serious. "His father fed him not like a growing teenager with sport activities, but like an salad-chewing guinea-pig. And your threatening yesterday was worse, than it seemed to be that moment. You're good Ladybug, he's really good Chat Noir, however none of you I'd name as best. Both of you are of few. But that threating affected him much more, than he showed to you. Even more, than he showed to me. Plus shock from his father being Hawkmoth and constant reappearance of that blue-haired cretin. So he's drained, both physically and emotionally."  
"May I help him?" asked Marinette. "Not that I would want to have sex with him…"  
"Yep!" smirked Plagg. "You don't want to have sex with him and I'm 195 cm tall. Actually, you could help. Sleeping with him, but without sex."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Bring Tikki here," answered Black Cat kwami and pointed on his pillow. "I can share my energy with her. I just need another Camembert. You could share YOUR energy and try to keep him warmer. Tomorrow morning all of us must be fit to fight. This could REALLY help."  
"Fine Plagg," smirked Marinette. "On your word."  
"Just don't name it after me!" mumbled kwami silently, when he thought that Marinette was out of earshot. He did not know, how wrong he was.  
Marinette's ears were red like her Ladybug costume, but she quickly returned with both Tikki and Camembert. Girl placed her kwami on pillow next to Plagg, who almost sucked stinky cheese. Marinette herself sneaked under Adrien's comforter and she snuggled up to him.  
Adrien half woke up and hugged her back, kissing her forehead just to faint again. On the other hand, his breathing became deeper and calmer. Marinette wanted to enjoy the moment, but she fell asleep literally in a minute…

XXXXXXX

А в кипящих котлах прежних боен и смут In the boiling pots of past battles and wars  
Столько пищи для маленьких наших мозгов! So much food for our tiny brains  
Мы на роли предателей, трусов, иуд To the roles of betrayers and cowards  
В детских играх своих назначали врагов. In our childish games were our enemies named

И злодея следам Villian's footprints weren't even  
Не давали остыть, Allowed to cool  
И прекраснейших дам And to most beautiful women  
Обещали любить; We promised amour

И, друзей успокоив Having calmed our friends worries  
И ближних любя, And our families loved  
Мы на роли героев To the roles of the heroes  
Вводили себя. We lead ourselves on.

Только в грёзы нельзя насовсем убежать: But we can't always run to the dreams in our heads  
Краткий век у забав — столько боли вокруг! Short the century for fun - mostly pain lives on  
Попытайся ладони у мёртвых разжать Try to pry open the palms of the dead  
И оружье принять из натруженных рук. And receive a weapon from their strained arms.

Испытай, завладев And distinuish, acquired  
Ещё тёплым мечом A sword from the hearth  
И доспехи надев, — Put on metal attire  
Что почём, что почём! What's it worth? What's it worth?

Разберись, кто ты: трус Find out - you a coward?  
Иль избранник судьбы — Or one chosen by fate  
И попробуй на вкус See a glimpse of your power  
Настоящей борьбы. Give real battles a taste.

XXXXXXX

"Pound it!" said together Monkey Queen, aka Sabine and Beauceron, aka Tom.  
Volpina escaped again, but she got good thrashing from Sabine, when Tom acted as hunting beater.  
"Maybe they allow us do this for fun more often," said Monkey Queen. "I really appreciated that time…"

XXXXXXX

Gabriel returned to his almost empty house, still being Hawkmoth.  
"So, did you find Fu, sir?" asked Nathalie.  
"I did," answered Gabriel, but shook his head. "He said me something I just need to process. Was anybody trying to spy on us or trespass into house?"  
"Nobody," answered his assistant. "Should I transform into Mayura again?"  
"Not now," Hawkmoth shook his head again. "It's too risky to use Peacock Miraculous too long time. I don't want lost you. Better use the time for short nap. But we should switch on all the automatic defense systems. I believe, they'll come in morning hours…"

XXXXXXX

Shutters on the windows…  
Chains upon the door…  
Sleepless nights spent waiting for an answer…  
Dreams of Heaven falling…  
Panic in the town…  
Lonely man with fingers on the future…

(excerpt from "Follow on" by Paul Brady, best interpretation Lisa Kelly in "Celtic Woman – Believe")

TO BE CONTINUED…


	30. Chapter 30

Unfortunately I was busy, so I found time for writing only now. I hope, some of you could enjoy this story…

Chapter 30)

It was seven o'clock in the morning, when Sabine, now as herself woke her daughter and wordlessly she showed her to move away from Adrien's sofa. Sabine nodded with smile, when she observed her daughter still in pajama.  
Few minutes later Tom shook with Adrien.  
"Nathalie, five minutes!" said Adrien.  
"Well, son, I'm not Nathalie and you have a battle to fight in," said Tom with laugh.  
That caused Adrien to wake up immediately.  
"Sabine cleaned your clothes. Well, it's not ironed out, but for once you could survive it."  
"Sure, Mr. Dupain," Adrien looked sheepish a bit.  
"I said you to call me Tom. We had a visit of Volpina, but Sabine spanked her and that girl escaped. Put the clothes on yourself, breakfast is on table."  
With these words Tom left him.  
Adrien nodded and left the warmed place under his comforter just to find, the floor is pretty cold now. So he did what Tom recommended and hurried downstairs, he only checked his kwami:  
"Plagg, are you OK?"  
"Let me sleep kiddo!"  
"We have battle that will not fight itself without us."  
"I've heard it."  
"Could you check Tikki, if SHE is fit to fight?"  
"I could. For extra cheese!"  
"Deal!" Adrien laughed. "Once you find out, come to tell me!"  
His memory gave him view of a horror moment, when he observed unconscious Ladybug slowly losing her transformation…

XXXXXXX

И когда рядом рухнет израненный друг And when near by falls your wounded friend  
И над первой потерей ты взвоешь, скорбя, And the world hears the howl coming from you  
И когда ты без кожи останешься вдруг And when you're left skinless - this isn't pretend  
От того, что убили его — не тебя, Because they've killed him and not you,

XXXXXXX

"Sir, I think, it's right time!" said Nathalie.  
"True," answered Gabriel. "Be super-careful. Your sentimonster should be last line of defense. Something genuinely yours…"  
"Duusu spread my feather!" ordered Nathalie. She formed darkness around the feather into giant peacock with beautiful feather tail coverts, but also sharply hooked beak, more similar to parrot, than to eagle beak…  
"Nooroo, dark wings rise!" ordered Gabriel.  
Once beig Hawkmoth, he called to his bodyguard:  
"Check Adrien and ask him to be ready for a breakfast!"  
When bodyguard entered Adrien's room, boy's room was empty and it was pretty evident, Adrien had not sleep in this bed that night. Bodyguard got scared, confused, and angry.  
"Fly my evil akuma and evilize him!" ordered Hawkmoth.  
"Gorizilla, your ward is not here, but he'll come soon," said Hawkmoth in akumatized bodyguard's head. "Before he's to come, be ready to protect this place from intruders, especially from Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

XXXXXXX

Ты поймёшь, что узнал, You will see, you will know,  
Отличил, отыскал Find out from within  
По оскалу забрал — From the grin that is shown  
Это смерти оскал! That is deaths scowling grin  
Ложь и Зло — погляди, Lies and Evil - look and find  
Как их лица грубы, How their faces are harsh  
И всегда позади And always behind  
Вороньё и гробы! Ravens, tombstones and marsh!

XXXXXXX

During breakfast they stayed silent for a short moment. Breakfast was far richer, than Adrien was ever used for. Kwamis were flying around, eating to stock up supply…  
"Eat it!" said Tom, observing his hesitation. "You'll need a lot of energy today and hard to say, whether you'll have a chance to eat something."  
Adrien started with fried eggs. Sabine observed his appetite and nodded.  
"Will you need us to go with you?"  
"Better not," said Adrien, quickly swallowing the mouthful. "Two of you would not mean big difference, we'll have backup. On the other hand, if we'd have to escape from Paris, it would be great to have a strongpoint for short breather and regrouping. So keep this place safe, please. Maybe we'll come here in big hurry with hell on our heels. Or maybe we could need you as adult witnesses, if we succeed."  
"We'll inform you, once it'll be possible," promised Marinette. "If anybody would ask, I'm with Adrien out. In fact it'll be even truth…"  
"I'm glad, you can keep humor!" Adrien shortly laughed. "Chance is fifty – fifty, better, than nothing, but our family house is built like an fortress and the only of us with some real experience storming fortresses are our kwamis. But they could hardly communicate with us, once we'll be transformed…"  
"Kiddo, I could try to explain you something, but I learn one thing," said Plagg. "You must do plans and you must be ready for moment, when plans will be thrown into the wind. Battle is chaotic. *I have met many military men in my life. I have known marshals, generals, commanders and governors, the victors of numerous campaigns and battles. I've listened to their stories and recollections. I've seen them poring over maps, drawing lines of various colors on them, making plans, thinking up strategies. In those paper wars everything worked, everything functioned, everything was clear and everything was in exemplary order. That's how it has to be, explained the military men. The army represents discipline and order above all. The army cannot exist without discipline and order. So it is all the stranger that real wars — and I have seen several real wars — have as much in common with discipline and order as a whorehouse with a fire raging through it.*"  
(* originally Bard Marigold, 'Half a Century of Poetry' — pg(s). 45, in Andrzej Sapkowski, 'Witcher' — 'Baptism of Fire' (UK edition) beginning and end of cit.)  
After that they finished breakfast in silence, Adrien and Marinette packed food for kwamis into sport-bag.  
"Tikki, spots on!"  
Adrien had no chance to ask Plagg, whether he checked Tikki.  
"So, M'lady, are you ready?" asked Adrien.  
"Tikki said me to test it," answered Ladybug. "Lucky charm!" ordered.  
Spell produced four small figurines. It was easy to recognize Rena Rouge, Carapace, Queen Bee, and Tigresse.  
"I believe, we have our answers!" said Ladybug.  
"Recharge your kwami," recommended Adrien.  
"Tikki, spots off!" Marinette gave Tikki cookie.  
Red kwami ate quite quickly.  
"It would be better to have more time," muttered Tikki. "But there's no good in wishing what you can't have."  
Red kwami swallowed last piece of cookie.  
"Tikki, spots on!" "Plagg, claws out!" They transformed simultaneously.  
Chat Noir grabbed the sport-bag with food.  
"Wish us luck!" said, observing Marinette's parents.  
"Sure way, son!" said Tom. "I know, he's your father, but kick his ass pretty, kiddo!"  
With that both superheroes moved away to upper trapdoor and out…

XXXXXXX

Если мяса с ножа If the meat from a blade  
Ты не ел ни куска, You did not eat a bite  
Если руки сложа And your arms folded - stayed  
Наблюдал свысока, And looked down from a height  
А в борьбу не вступил Entered not into battle  
С подлецом, с палачом, — Against butcher and scythe  
Значит в жизни ты был Means that life proved your mettle  
Ни при чём, ни при чём! You had nothing to give!

XXXXXXX

Ladybug and Chat Noir landed on roof of Major Burgeois's hotel.  
"So M'lady…"  
"I know, hide here and observe," answered Ladybug. "Be careful, please!"  
"Don't worry too much," smirked Chat Noir. "Roaar, could you…"  
"Observe and warn Ladybug if an Akuma or another danger would appear," nodded Tiger kwami. "Sure thing. Find me a competent user, Chat Noir!"  
Chat Noir gave them his usual Cheshire Cat grin and two-fingers salute, then he disappeared…

XXXXXXX

Kagami opened balcony door almost immediately, once Chat Noir landed there. She hugged shortly leather clad superhero.  
"So, you and Marinette?" asked Japanese girl.  
"Yes, I and Marinette…" answered Chat Noir. "But now it's Chat Noir and Ladybug. Are you ready to go?"  
"I just…" started Kagami, but voice of her mother interrupted her.  
"Kagami, come here please!" Tomoe Tsurugi sounded resolutely. "And tell Adrien to come here too!"  
"You see!" whispered Kagami, but showed Chat Noir to come in.  
"Madame Tsurugi!" said Chat Noir and made deep bow.  
Tomoe Tsurugi moved faster, than cat hero expected. She touched his head, finding cat-ears by touch.  
"So, you ARE Chat Noir!" said Kagami's mother triumphantly. "Nice, Adrien! Did your find, your father is Hawkmoth?"  
"WHAT?" asked Chat Noir consternated.  
"You did not know that yet?!" asked Tomoe.  
"I've found it, but how do you…"  
"How did I figure it?" older Tsurugi smirked. "I'm blind, not stupid or foolish. I do NOT have evidence enough for court of justice, but I figured out from what I know."  
However Tomoe Tsurugi was blind, she any way observed somehow Chat Noir now.  
"Well," she nodded. "As I understand, you're in relationship with Miss Dupain-Cheng. Am I right, Adrien?"  
"Yes madam," answered Chat Noir.  
"So what do you offer to my daughter? To be your mistress or what?"  
"To join us for a battle," said Chat Noir. "We need somebody, for whom being warrior is natural and normal."  
"You are warrior yourself," answered Tomoe.  
"I need another one, who should be better, more experienced if possible, who is nature-born warrior, not just trained one."  
"Good answer Adrien," nodded Tomoe. "Kagami, my daughter, do you wish to join that group?"  
"Yes mother."  
"Okay," nodded Tomoe again. "What will battlefield look like?"  
"I'm not sure, but most likely the Hawkmoth's hiding place is somewhere in cellar of our house."  
"Good. Kagami, what kind of weapon would you prefer for such battlefield?"  
"Short sword wakizashi and tantō dagger."  
"Good choice, daughter, on your knees!"  
Kagami kneeled and bowed her head. Tomoe dismounted shorter sword from wall and placed it into Kagami's hands.  
"Use this weapon with honor, pride, and self-esteem, my daughter," Tomoe kissed her daughter's forehead and from one pocket she produced Hachimaki, Japanese warrior's white ribbon with red circle. Inscription was Hisshō (必勝, determined to win).  
After that Tomoe grabbed Kagami's shoulders to make her stand up from her knees.  
"Bring the pride to our family and bring the justice to villains who deserve it!"  
Older Tsurugi turned to Chat Noir:  
"Should I call for my driver? He's loyal and discreet man."  
"No, we'll go superhero way!" said Chat Noir and grabbed Kagami, who fastened wakizashi to her belt. Chat Noir steadied Japanese girl to his left side. "Do you have your tantō with you?"  
"Always, Chat Noir," smirked Kagami. "As I'm not your girlfriend, be careful, where do you have your fingers!"  
"Sure, warrioress!" smirked Chat Noir back and using his stuff he jumped with her through balcony door. "At least I owe you one good ride…"

XXXXXX

Если, путь прорубая отцовским мечом, If you cleared your way with your father's sword  
Ты солёные слёзы на ус намотал, And your tears had dried leaving nothing but salt  
Если в жарком бою испытал что почём, — If in heat of the battle found out what's what, -  
Значит нужные книги ты в детстве читал! Means your read useful books when you were only small!

XXXXXXX

They landed on roof of Burgeois's hotel just to observe Rena Rouge and Carapace to land there too.  
"Nice from you, that you finally decided to appear!" Queen Bee was ironical, but balanced a tray with open-face sandwiches. "Why is she here?" she pointed on Kagami, who made a self-confident smile.  
"I invited her," said Chat Noir. "I believe, we will need her assistance during the final battle with Hawkmoth."  
"Coast is clear," said Ladybug, who managed to appear from hiding spot.  
"I have some news," said Chat Noir. "We all know Kagami Tsurugi. I strongly believe, she will be a valuable member of team. She is best of us as warrior, especially due to experience. Miraculous Guardian decided, that it is our duty to decide, whether she should obtain her Miraculous. We should vote about that and I vote yes. But there is another thing. I finally found Hawkmoth's identity without doubts, but unfortunately Hawkmoth knows my identity. So there is no more sense in keeping my identity as secret from my friends, when foe knows it. So, Plagg, claws in!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31)

Chloé.exe, as well as and stopped for a moment with a really crucial need to 'reboot'.  
"Well, that explains a lot!" said Carapace with smile, observing Adrien.  
"Don't be a fool tortoise, it explains everything!" snorted Queen Bee.  
She turned to Ladybug wide-eyed: "No way!"  
"What do you think, kitty, should I reveal myself too?" asked Ladybug.  
"It's upon you, M'lady. Kagami figured out both our identities, of all of us in fact. Her mother figured out even identity of Hawkmoth independently. I suspect, Hawkmoth himself knows all our identities too."  
"In such a case," smirked Ladybug. "Tikki spots off!"  
Marinette passed Tikki a biscuit.  
"Wayzz, shell off!" "Trixx, let's rest!"  
Both Carapace and Rena Rouge detransformed.  
"That's awful!" said Nino.  
"What do you mean?" asked a bit confused Adrien.  
"I hoped to have possibility one day boast to Marinette and Adrien about helping Ladybug and Chat Noir with saving Paris. But YOU actually do it on your everyday basis and YOU are Ladybug and Chat Noir YOURSELVES! I guess, even Queen Chloé is shocked too much to detransform…"  
"Fine!" snorted Queen Bee. "Pollen, buzz off!"  
"So, who is Hawkmoth?" asked Alya.  
"First things first!" said Adrien. "We should vote. I would prefer to let even our kwamis to vote. I said my reasons and I vote for yes, we should give Kagami Tiger Miraculous."  
"Adrien, you are the best!" said Plagg and snuggled to Adrien's chest for a moment. "No other Chat Noir though about us as about valuable friends, only as about servants…"  
"I vote yes," said Alya. "She proved herself, finding my identity."  
"It was pretty easy, Kitsune!" answered Kagami with wit smile.  
"I vote no!" said Chloé. "She wants my Adrikins…"  
"Well, Chloé, sorry to burst your bubble, but Adrien belongs to me now," said Marinette. "I will vote as last one, as my duty is establishing balance."  
"I vote yes," smirked Nino. "I believe what my bro says."  
"I vote yes!" all kwamis but Pollen said.  
"My queen, she's really good, I can't vote no, but I will abstain from vote for you," Pollen looked sad, but Chloé made a gesture to invite her into silent and caressive hug to her face.  
"I will abstain from vote too," said Marinette. "So we have eight for yes, two abstained, and one for no. Kagami Tsurugi, you were accepted. Adrien, give her the Tiger Miraculous."  
"Kagami Tsurugi, this is Tiger Miraculous, which grants you Power of Tracing your prey," said Adrien and passed Kagami opened box with panjas bracelet inside.  
Kagami putted in on her right wrist.  
"Chose your superhero nickname," said Marinette.  
"I'm Roarr," introduced himself Tiger kwami in same time. "For transformation it's 'Roarr, stripes on!' For detransformation it's 'Roarr, stripes off!' For Tracing it's 'Find a Trace!'"  
"You should feed your kwami after using your powers and unfortunately also right now, we used him as our security guard," explained Adrien. "Roarr eats raw meat, we have some here."  
"Fine," said Kagami. "Could you give me that bag with meat? I will carry food for my friend myself. And my superhero nickname is Tigresse. I would rather prefer Byakko*, but you'd have problem to remember it during battle chaos…"  
(*Byakko - Bái Hǔ in Chinese or Baekho in Korean - White Tiger of West. It represents the west in terms of direction and the autumn season. Wiki)  
"OK," said Marinette. "Now, we should shortly debate, who Hawkmoth is."  
"So?" asked Alya.  
"He's my father, Gabriel Agreste."  
Everybody stared on Adrien in disbelief.  
"I know, he's stupid," said Nino. "But I just had no idea how much stupid he could be…"  
"So Hawkmoth's lair is somewhere in your house?" asked Chloé. "But where specifically?"  
"Good question, Chloé," Adrien gave her sad smile. "In fact I have no direct idea, most probably somewhere in cellar."  
"Makes logical sense," nodded Kagami. "You hired me as expert in fighting. Unfortunately, in our situation there's the only way and I believe Gabriel Agreste is prepared for that. But we unfortunately must do that and that simply means storm your house either through an window, maybe of your room, Adrien. Or maybe we'll go rather through lateral entrance, in worst case through main entrance. But your father could easily cover all possible entries in. Your house finally is really built like a fortress…"  
"What will we do with Hawkmoth?" asked Alya. "If authorities would solve it, Adrien would be exposed to gutter press…"  
"Said tabloid," snorted Chloé. "We have the power, we should solve it on our own. I don't want my Adrikins to be begrimed…"  
"Well, Chloé, sorry to burst your bubble again, but actually Adrien is my now, as I already told you," said Marinette. "But I'd also prefer to do things without cops and judges… What do you think, Adrien?"  
"I think, we do counting our chicken before being hatched," answered Adrien.  
"True," agreed Kagami.  
"But I do want to do indoor work without heavy lifting in my future," smirked Adrien. "So I'd rather prefer our self-help justice doing."  
"No promises," said Kagami. "If anybody dies because of your father's actions, I'll finish him!" she promised, with wakizashi in her hand.  
"Nice katana," said Nino.  
"It's actually wakizashi," particularized Kagami. "For being named katana sword needs to be at least ten cm longer, than this one. But beheading of defeated opponent is traditional use and the length is sufficient for that…"  
The others shivered after her cold words…

XXXXXXX

They did not spend too much time planning, as Plagg repeated his idea about battle being similar to a whorehouse with a fire raging through it…  
Kagami grabbed piece of raw beef meat and with her tantō she cut small piece of meat. She placed it into her mouth and ate it, giving the bigger part of meat to Roarr:  
"We share our friends, we share our foes, we share our food, we share our fight!" declaimed Kagami ceremonial tone. "Today we all go into decisive battle and together we shall win!"  
Roarr ate the piece of meat and bowed to his new owner:  
"She's really the perfect one, can I have her for a longer time?" asked kwami.  
"Depends, whether Master Guardian would agree with that or not," said Marinette. "But first things first, we should go."  
"True," said Adrien, tearing off a small piece of Camembert and placing the rest of cheese into Plagg's mouth. "We share our friends, we share our foes, we share our food, we share our fight!"  
The others repeated same ritual-like words and ate small parts of kwami food doses.  
"I hope, everybody has food for kwami to repeat transformation at least six times today," said Adrien. "Better check it now, when we could replenish our supply here."  
"Nino, if Adrikins finds a earthworm, it's up to YOU to eat it!" said Chloé.  
"What do you mean?!" asked confused Adrien.  
"Queen Bee probably wants to say, that you act like a hen, leading her chicken," said Kagami. "But she never made plans for battle before, so she doesn't understand, you're right, we should check our equipment now, BEFORE going into battle to be won."  
They silently checked everything before transformation.  
"Tikki, spots on!" "Plagg, claws out!" "Trixx, let's pounce!" "Pollen, buzz on!" "Wayzz, shell on!" "Roarr, stripes on!" All six of them ordered transformation simultaneously and moved off, Carapace and Tigresse both with sport-bags over their shoulders…

XXXXXXX

They needed less, than ten minutes to reach Agreste Manor. A bit awkward situation was caused by fact, the place was too easily observed by too many rubberneckers…  
"Mirage!" shouted relatively silently Rena Rouge and made sound on her flute.  
The street around Agreste Manor looked like being duplicated for a moment, but in less, than a second it looked unchanged.  
"What did you just do?" asked Ladybug.  
"New kind of illusion, I invented it short time ago," explained Rena Rouge. "Imagine that as picture of second layer of reality, being painted on true scene. We could approach the house unnoticed by anybody."  
"Even by akumas or our house security system?" asked Chat Noir. "Are you sure?"  
"I'm not in fact," answered Rena Rouge simply. "But it's the best I can do right now. Follow me, I must lead you to the destination place, we can't go straight and we mustn't touch anybody during coming there."  
They criss-crossed to left side of fence. Carapace opened his sport-bag and took out small quadrocopter with camera.  
"I believe, we should check that place from bird's eye view," said Carapace and released his 'spy drone'.  
Small explosion destroyed quadrocopter in air.  
"Your crazy old man has anti-drone missiles here!" Carapace almost shrieked- "What the heck?!" asked, when Rena Rouge covered his mouth with her hand.  
"Shut up!" she whispered. "We don't need audience!"  
"There is a way," said Chat Noir. "You could 'Shelter us to the door. Preferably of left lateral entrance."  
"Yea, I could do that," agreed Carapace. "But not in movement of such a big group. We must divide into two groups and I'll necessarily need to reload Wayzz."  
"OK!" nodded Ladybug. "First group should be me, Chat Noir and Tigresse. Could it be that way?"  
"Sure," said Carapace. "Get ready for move, you three!"  
Once they circled him, Chat Noir positioned himself on 'tip of spear'.  
"What are you doing?" asked Ladybug.  
"M'lady, I have 'the universal key' here," Chat Noir explained, moving fingers of his right hand. "So I must go as first right now."  
Ladybug turned to Tigresse, who nodded in agreement.  
"OK," she hesitated a bit, but agreed. "But please, be careful, mon chatton."  
"I AM always careful, however sometimes it doesn't work sufficiently," smirked Chat Noir. "Don't worry, M'lady, this cat has nine lives…"  
"You could easily lose all nine of them in one moment, Bakeneko!" snorted Tigresse. "You rather BE really careful!"  
"Once you maidens are ready, we can go," said Carapace.  
"Ready!" answered Chat Noir.  
"OK," nodded Carapace. "Shelter!" he activated his powers.  
They together moved, being hit by four missiles, exploding harmlessly on shield.  
Carapace shook his head in disbelief. Once they were at door, Chat Noir asked:  
"Do you need to dissolve the shield, or could we just leave it?"  
"From inside you can leave it," explained Carapace. "To let somebody inside I need to that, meaning, thankfully out of aiming range of those missiles, I hope."  
"OK," nodded Chat Noir and stood next to the door, not touching that yet.  
Same did Tigresse and Ladybug, who positioned themselves on Chat's back side.  
"Patience!" said Tigresse. "We need to outnumber eventual defenders."  
"Sure!" agreed Chat Noir. "However I don't think my father allowed somebody from outside come in, even if to be a defender of this place."  
Carapace jumped over the fence, being followed by one missile, which exploded on his shield immediately. He waited for a moment, as no other missile appeared, he dropped his transformation:  
"Wayzz, shell off!"  
Nino fed his kwami and in same time he observed sky over him with a fear. Hawkmoth's missiles were relatively small, but most likely sufficient to kill a human…  
Both Rena Rouge and Queen Bee joined him in no time.  
"So?" asked Queen Bee impatiently.  
"I'm ready!" said kwami.  
"OK, Wayzz, Shell on! Shelter!"  
As trio they moved even a bit quicker. They were in almost contact distance, when Chat Noir called for his powers: "Cataclysm!"  
Through frame of destroyed door flitted hand of giant ape, grabbed Chat Noir and drew him into house…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"BANZAIII!" shrieked Tigresse and keeping wakizashi both-handed she stormed into house, following Gorizilla's hand with Chat Noir clenched in monster's right fist.  
Tigresse was quick, but Gorizilla was even a bit quicker and grabbed heroine into still free left hand, clenching now into fist. Even the razor-sharp wakizashi was ineffective in her effort to free herself from monster's hand.  
Before anybody could do anything, Queen Bee left area sheltered by Carapace powers. She weaseled under Gorizilla's right hand, clenched around Chat Noir now. Akuma tried to turn in order to face Queen Bee, but heroine was quick enough to keep on monster's back.  
"Venom!" shrieked girl and injected product of her weapon into Gorizilla's right buttock.  
Monster collapsed and Queen Bee dodged not to be buried under his paralyzed body.  
In almost the same moment new, sliding, door appeared, sliding down through grooves Adrien never ever observed there, keeping there all effectively incarcerated inside of Agreste Manor. He shook his head in pure disbelief. This trick was something he would expect as portcullis somewhere in medieval castle, not in his home house…  
"I would release myself, finally!" almost snarled Tigresse.  
"You're welcome!" retorted Queen Bee with sardonic smile.  
"Thank you, Queen Bee!" said Chat Noir. "Plagg, claws in! Queen Bee, you should also feed your kwami and make her ready for another fight."  
Being detransformed, Adrien fed Plagg with a piece of Camembert.  
"Pollen, Buzz off!" ordered Queen Bee and as Chloé she shortly fondled her kwami and passed her a dose with honey.  
"Tigresse, now it's on you," said Adrien. "Try to find the entry to Hawkmoth lair."  
"Adrien, I can't find akumatized object," said Ladybug, who searched on akumatized body of Adrien's bodyguard.  
"Let it be for now, M'lady!" said Adrien. "We should get my father first. You can purify this akuma later…"  
Ladybug shook her head in disagreement, but said nothing…  
"Find a trace!" Tigresse said sotto voce.  
To her surprise she observed apparition of Gabriel Agreste, who slowly came to next room, where door was partially blocked by left leg and foot of Gorizilla. Tigresse climbed up his unconscious body. In next room was big painting on the wall – stylized portrait of Emilia Agreste, Adrien's mother, and next to it control panel with big touch display. Gabriel's wraith touched several places both on Emilia's picture and on touch display. Hidden elevator appeared and Gabriel Agreste disappeared downstairs…  
"I found it!" shrieked Tigresse. "Come here! Now!"  
"Plagg, claws out!" ordered Adrien and moved to her.  
The other heroes followed him, well, after Chloé just ordered: "Pollen, Buzz on!"  
"Here!" showed Tigresse. "I hope, I remembered sequence properly."  
Heroine pushed on several places and hidden elevator appeared.  
"Enough just for one person…" grimaced Chat Noir. "If you remember the sequence, borrow me your kwami for a moment. "I'll go as first and I'll send Roarr back to inform you, if the place downstairs is either safe to come or if a need help with a fight."  
"Wise idea," agreed Tigresse. "Roarr! Stripes off!"  
When dropping transformation, Kagami first of all fed Roarr with a piece of meat.  
"If something goes wrong, be here to inform and transform me!" ordered.  
"Aye, aye madam!" Roarr saluted to Kagami and sat himself on Chat's left shoulder.  
When Adrien observed by enhanced cat's eyes scenery downstairs, he was speechless for a moment. He observed high tech version of 'Snow White glass coffin' and myriads of white akuma moths flying around. He observed butterflies with suspicion, but they did nothing untypical for common insects. However they were underground, there was a lot of light, causing presence of flowers in surprising amounts, including also Nasturtium, professor Lefebvre told to be a fodder plant for caterpillars. Adrien, somehow illogically, thought, how much money must cost Agreste Manor electricity bill…  
"Mommy?" was the only he said in shock.  
Roarr was a clever kwami. He quickly checked place, finding no immediate threat.  
"Chat Noir, I'll inform other to come here, yes?" he asked politely.  
"Sure," nodded Chat Noir. "It's just too big shock and I needed a moment to compose myself."  
"No shame to cry in similar situation," said Roarr. "I'll tell them to come quietly."  
"Thanks!"  
Roarr checked the way they will need to go, finding several traps and disabling them. He neared to trapdoor, but did not try to check, what is on the other side of it. Risk to be caught right now was too serious. He attracted Chat's attention.  
"I've already found and disabled several traps on our way. There's trapdoor you'll need to open by Cataclysm. I didn't risk being caught on other side. Should I try it any way?"  
"No, you're right. It's not worth of risk. Ask others to come here!"  
Roarr saluted again and zipped upstairs.

XXXXXXX

"If I'm allowed to recommend, my owner should go as last, as back guard," said Roarr upstairs. "Ladybug or Queen Bee should be first now. Chat Noir needs friendly hug, I believe."  
"I'll go!" decided Ladybug. "He proclaimed himself as my boyfriend, so it's my business."  
Nobody protested and Ladybug wordlessly hugged Chat Noir and they both observed body without moving typical for breathing. When Queen Bee arrived, she placed her left hand on her mouth in shock. Chat Noir composed himself in that moment.  
"M'lady, may I ask you for a favor?"  
"Sure, mon Chatton," answered Ladybug. "Whatever."  
"When that spell hit you, Tikki checked your body, whether you are wounded. Could you ask her, to check my mom too? Just to know…"  
"Sure. I'll try first my Lucky Charm!" said Ladybug and observed tiny figurine of Chinese wise man. What a surprise… "OK, it's something we'll manage later. Tikki! Spots off!"  
Marinette did not need explain her kwami anything. Tikki disappeared in Emilie's body…

XXXXXXX

Master Fu was hidden on rooftop near to Agreste Manor. Nobody knew about him yet, he remained unobserved by cameras and human eyes. His transformation did not allow him being keen-sighed enough to observe that place, but common hunting spyglass counterbalanced this disadvantage. He was unsure, whether he should intervene helping his charges, but decided to wait, if it would be really necessary…

XXXXXXX

"What do they do?" asked Mayura, observing scene together with her boss.  
"You heard," answered Hawkmoth.  
"What a shame, kwamis are invisible for cameras and other technical equipment," said Chat Noir on screen. "But other kwami could possibly convey to his keeper, about what one kwami did or said…"

XXXXXXX

"Are you out of your mind, mangy cat?" asked Queen Bee.  
"No, he tries to manipulate his father to drop transformation," explained Tigresse, who came as last one to place. "According Sun Tzu, the supreme art of war is to subdue your enemy without fighting."

XXXXXXX

"He's right," said Hawkmoth. "Noroo could say us, what Ladybug's kwami would say to them. Noroo! Dark wings fall!"  
Hawkmoth's kwami observed screen in disbelief.  
"Ladybug's kwami, is it here?" asked Mayura impatiently.  
"Yes, Tikki… SHE is here, I can feel her," said Noroo, giving Mayura angry look, what Mayura totally ignored. "What do you want from me, Master?" asked kwami Gabriel.  
"Tell me whatever Tikki does or says!" ordered older Agreste.  
"She is inside Emilie's body," said Noroo. "She checks her living functions…"

XXXXXXX

"Her body is well preserved, using Noroo's magic and energy," explained Tikki. "But her soul is on other side."  
"Other side?" questioned Chat Noir.  
"You know, Heaven, Elysium, Tír na nÓg, Walhalla, Irij, Amida's pure land, Tengoku, or so on. There is too many names for place where souls of good persons will go after death," Tikki said it horribly sad tone. "The only way she could return is by the Wish. But I feel, there is a price of such a wish."  
"What price?" asked Chat Noir.  
"Your life, Adrien," answered Tikki, becoming grumpy. "Universe needs to keep balance and returning somebody from dead means somebody close to that person must die. And necessarily a person with more years of life on ahead…"

XXXXXXX

"WHAT?!" shrieked Gabriel. "Noroo, is Tikki lying?"  
"Plagg lies pretty often, but Tikki says always truth," said kwami.  
Gabriel almost collapsed on table, his head in his hands. Mayura observed her boss with fear. That was something so not Gabrielish at all…

XXXXXXX

Tikki gnawed her cookie almost without feeling its taste.  
"They used the Wish several times in history," explained Tikki during eating. "None of those actions was in fact successful in longer perspective. Last time it was really good king, who died because of diphtheria. Price of the Wish was life of his firstborn son, crown prince. King had three more sons and two daughters. So they were quite sure, death of oldest prince was adequate price for continuation of his successful reign. Well, two years later second-born prince decided not to risk repeating of that and murdered his father, most of advisors as well as all his siblings. Cruel prince died just one year later during a big farmers' riot. Neighboring kingdom used riot as an pretence for annexation. Nobody but Plagg and me knows about it now, all historical records were destroyed and prohibited to remember…"  
"What about that time's Ladybug and Chat Noir?" asked Chat Noir.  
"They were expelled from the country by old king, once he found, his firstborn son is dead," answered Tikki. "Keeping Miraculous and doing any kind of magic was prohibited for some time there too…"  
"How had my mum died?" asked Chat Noir.  
"I'm not completely sure," Tikki looked confused a bit. "I felt Duusu magic in her body and I feel she died because of that magic. But I don't understand how. We must interrogate Duusu, Nathalie, and your father. By the way Marinette, I'm ready."  
"OK. Tikki! Spots on!"  
"Well, Chat Noir, if life gives you Pearl Harbor, make Doolittle raid*!" said Tigresse, bitterly laughing over nasty irony of fate and of her own dirty joke. "Time to move!"  
(* see "Thirty seconds over Tokyo")  
"OK!" said Chat Noir loudly. "Daddy, we're on way! Prepare to welcome few guests!"  
Ladybug looked on him to check his psychical stability.  
"Sorry, I needed to do something really stupid, M'lady," he said sotto voce. "I feel like my head is to explode…"  
"Kitty, I'm here for you, don't worry!" said Ladybug. "But right now, we BOTH have responsibility for our friends here. For ALL our friends, REMEMBER it."  
"Sure," agreed Chat Noir. "According Roarr, way should be clean up to trapdoor. But watch your steps any way. I go first, I really need to destroy something, if only just trapdoor…"  
Nobody said anything, but their faces wordlessly inform about them being worried…  
Last part of their path was some ten meters long totally dark tunnel.  
"Follow me, I can see in darkness!" said Chat Noir and grabbed Ladybug's hand.  
"I have night vision too," smiled Tigresse.  
"Even foxes have night vision," added Rena Rouge.  
So they entered dark tunnel paired…

XXXXXXX

Pochodem vchod, páry těžkejch bot, ... March on, pairs of heavy boots,  
funguje to líp než namazanej stroj. ….… ... it works better than an oiled machine.  
Dokola je tma, ... There's darkness around us,  
nějakej permoník ... some subterranean dwarf  
tu z díry civí ... stares at us from his hole  
jako Němec na orloj. ... like German stares at Horologium.

Refrain from "Dole v dole" ("Down in the mine") by Kabát

XXXXXXX

Tunnel ended with metallic ladder.  
"M'lady, here is ladder, use it with our friends!" said Chat Noir. "I'll knock on their door for invitation. Cataclysm!" he shrieked.  
Chat Noir used his staff as elevator, with right hand over his head. His body burst throughout disintegrating trapdoor, destroyed by Cataclysm.  
First thing he observed upstairs was Mayura, releasing a dark feather from her hand-fan.  
"Fly away my beautiful Amok!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33)

The dark blue feather acted like self-navigating missile and hit Chat's nose.  
Chat Noir started sneezing so terrible, that he finally lost his transformation. Involuntarily…  
"Cheesseee…" groaned Plagg. "I need cheese and sleep…"  
Adrien was shocked after that violent detransformation. Before Mayura was able to utilize her advantage, Rena Rouge and Queen Bee together jumped on her and overpowered her during short hand-to-hand combat. Ladybug removed feather from Adrien's face into her yo-yo, not touching it by her finger.  
"Thanks!" was only, what he was able to say between sneezing.  
Monstrous peacock squawked.  
"Finish that nonsense!" ordered Adrien, who finally pulled himself together.  
He did not charged anybody to do anything, but Tigresse was first to react and beheaded sentimonster peacock. Escaping dark blue feather was immediately caught by Ladybug's yo-yo.  
Adrien observed his father.  
"Vanitas Vanitatum et Omnia Vanitas Est,*".said Gabriel Agreste, his head still in his hands. "Everything is lost!"  
(*lat. Vanity of Vanities, All is Vanity – Bible – Old Testament – The Book of the Preacher - Ecclesiastes 1:2)  
"Fate has perverse sense of absurd," said Adrien, observing his father with kwami Nooroo near to him. "Fools argue. Wise men talk it over. What do you chose?"  
"Don't try negotiate with Destiny!" said Plagg beside a point a little bit. "She has morality of contract killer."  
Wait a moment!" said surprised Adrien, shortly looking on his kwami. "Destiny is female?"  
"How else could Destiny be that much cruel?" answered Plagg by another question.  
"What do you want?" asked Gabriel broken tone. "To babble me to death or what?"  
"Answers!" said Adrien, turning his attention back to his father. "I need answers for beginning. In fact a lot of them. But right now, do you still want to do your Wish? Do YOU wish me dead? You can call me selfish, but I don't want give up my life. I have what to live for, whom to live for…"  
Adrien made quick look on Ladybug, who gave him a smile and wink.  
"Nooo…" it was evident, Gabriel did not know, what to do or say. "I want Emilie back. I want your mother back. But I didn't know, YOUR life is the price. Is that true for sure?"  
"It must be tested, there still is a very small chance, but, I need you to give me your Miraculous, same as the Peacock one," Adrien observed Plagg, who quite quickly composed himself and now he levitated few centimeters from his owner's head. "We can try to make a deal, but I need your another answers. By the way, if price would be life of Chat Noir, unknown schoolboy, you'd be OK with that?"  
"What?" Gabriel looked confused. "What do you ask me now? Do you need to salt my wounds more?"  
"Was returning my mum REALLY your only goal?" Adrien looked rigidly on his father, hands clenched in fists. "Or are you 'I will rule the World!' kind of villain?"  
"Why do you ask?" Gabriel looked confused a bit.  
"If answer is yes, I have no other way, but I would have to kick your ass!" explained Adrien. "So?"  
Gabriel made a bitter chuckle.  
"Don't worry!" he removed Moth Brooch from his necktie, placing it on his left palm. "Nooroo, I surrender keeping you. My son Adrien is from now your Master!"  
Nooroo accepted Moth Miraculous and flied to Adrien, placing brooch into his fingers.  
"Master?!"  
"Call me Adrien!" ordered boy still in shock. "We'll speak later, now try to be helpful and meet with Plagg. He's to explain you strings and rules…"  
"First of all, find me a piece of cheese, ideally Camembert!" ordered Plagg unthinking.  
Ladybug came to Mayura, who was hold by both Queen Bee and Rena Rouge in firm clench, but she still tried to break free.  
"Surrender!" ordered Ladybug. "Surrender now and you'll not face police and trial!"  
"Sir?" asked Mayura.  
"Do it!" answered Gabriel. "Maybe it wouldn't be that bad finally…"  
"OK! Duusu! Fall my feathers!"  
Once destransformed, Nathalie started coughing, fatigued, and almost collapsed. Gabriel hurried to her, but Tigresse blocked his way with wakizashi ready to use.  
"M'lady, be so kind please and confiscate her Miraculous, please!" said Adrien. "Seems to me… Touching it could be unhealthy for me. Tigresse, please, let him go!"  
Boy observed his father with interest. Gabriel kneeled to Nathalie and hugged her, helping her to stand upright. Adrien made a two-seconds-lasting smile. Well… That's interesting…  
Ladybug accepted Peacock Miraculous. She used her yo-yo as phone.  
"Master, we've won! Could you come here?"  
"Tell Weng Fu, we surrendered!" asked Gabriel.  
"I heard it," said Master Fu from phone.  
Adrien heard it thanks to his enhanced senses, enhanced even in untransformed state.  
"Call to your parents and ask them to come here," he said to Ladybug. "I would need them as adult witnesses. Tell them to bring the contract with them…"  
Ladybug called them and briefly invited them to Agreste Manor.  
"What the heck?" asked Gabriel.  
"Well father, there are things, we need to dispute. But preferably later and in more convenient place, like our dining room…"  
"There are akumas there," said Nathalie, finally feeling stronger and pushing herself softly from Gabriel. "In your bedroom too."  
"Nice…" Adrien frowned on her. "So… I will need answers. And changes too. But first things first. Once Master Guardian is here, we'll start our negotiations."  
"I'm here," said Master Fu, still in his dragon-hero form. "I need some answers too, Gabriel. I need them now. Is life of your wife the only reason you became villain?"  
"Adrien asked me the same," said Gabriel. "I wanted my wife back, so I started with this. Later I also needed to win over both Chat Noir and Ladybug…"  
"Fine," said Master Fu. "Let's go to check, if I can do anything for Emilie."  
"OK," said Gabriel. "Unlock security! End automatic self-defense mode!"  
"Security unlocked," answered computerized voice. "Automatic self-defense ended."  
In same moment Nooroo returned with a piece of Camembert, what Plagg eagerly ate.  
"Plagg!" Adrien's voice was a bit angry toned. "Nooroo is your friend, our friend, not a slave or servant. So next time you use him such a way, if being not sick or wounded, you would owe him a favor service. Remember that! By the way Nooroo, what do YOU eat?"  
"Something sweet, ideally honey," Moth kwami looked confused.  
Queen Bee produced from somewhere a dose with honey:  
"Come here and help yourself!"  
Nooroo looked happily, when eating.  
"I'll need something from you later, Nooroo," said Adrien.  
"Yes Ma… Adrien," answered kwami, mouth full of honey…

XXXXXXX

Near Emilie's glass-coffin they made half-circle. Marinette's parents sent SMS telling, that they came to main entrance, both transformed as Queen Monkey and Beauceron. So Ladybug came to invite them in.  
Unconscious Gorizilla was still laying on floor.  
"I can't find akumatized object," said Ladybug.  
Beauceron sniffed a bit and pointed on door to Adrien's bedroom.  
"OK!" smirked Ladybug.  
She opened door of Adrien's bedroom and caught all grayish akumas flying around. Her father pointed on wristwatch lying on floor. Once she stomped on it, dark akuma escaped from broken watch and her yo-yo captured escaping insect…  
"No more evil-doing for you," Ladybug said, but this time she did not released butterflies nor feathers.  
The Gorilla observed three superheroes with confusion and suspicion.  
"Come with us!" ordered Ladybug and Gorilla just grumbled.  
When Adrien's bodyguard observed secret elevator, he was surprised. But he followed Ladybug, Queen Monkey, and Beauceron there. They wordlessly joined group observing the strange glass 'coffin' containing woman recognizable as Adrien's mother Emile Agreste…

XXXXXXX

Master Fu stroked his gong several times ad observed Emilie in her glass-coffin. He finally shook his head.  
"I'm sorry Gabriel, but there's nothing more I could do. Please accept my sincere sympathy with your loss."  
Gabriel silently nodded and almost cried. Nathalie hugged him from right side.  
"Sir, you must be strong and show no weakness, we are to negotiate…"  
"Sorry to disappoint you, Nathalie, but I'm tired. Sad and tired, so terribly tired…"  
"M'lady, could you, for me, please, one last attempt?" asked Adrien.  
"Sure, Adrien… Lucky Charm!" Ladybug tossed her yo-yo and result surprised her only a little. It was Book of Common Prayer, opened on page with burial ceremony.  
Ladybug offered it to Master Fu, who refused:  
"It's not a prayer of my religion."  
As second she offered the Book to Gabriel, who started openly cry, observing, where the Book was opened.  
"Give it to me!" ordered Adrien.  
He sounded different, like being more adult, maybe more mature man now…  
He gave a Look to his father and started reading:  
"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.*"

XXXXXXX

(*continuation of story plot after next 7Xs)

"I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.  
We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.  
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine ears consider my calling – hold not thy peace at my tears. For I am a stranger with thee – and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.  
O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength – before I go hence, and be no more seen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son – and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be – world without end. Amen.  
As soon as thou scatterest them, they are even as a sleep – and fade away suddenly like the grass. In the morning it is green, and groweth up: but in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered.  
The days of our age are threescore years and ten; and though men be so strong, that they come to fourscore years – yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.  
But who regardeth the power of thy wrath – for even thereafter as a man feareth, so is thy displeasure. O teach us to number our days – that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.  
O satisfy us with thy mercy, and that soon – so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life. Comfort us again now after the time that thou hast plagued us – and for the years wherein we have suffered adversity.  
Shew thy servants thy work – and their children thy glory. And the glorious majesty of the Lord our God be upon us – prosper thou the work of our hands upon us, O prosper thou our handywork. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son – and to the Holy Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.  
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.  
In the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful Saviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.  
Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts; shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer; but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou most worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not, at our last hour, for any pains of death, to fall from thee.  
Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of my dear mother here departed: we therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.  
I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: Even so, saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labours.  
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.  
Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity: We give thee hearty thanks, for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world; beseeching thee that it may please thee, of thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom; that we, with all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

XXXXXXX

The prayer was evidently shortened and Adrien cried on the end of it himself, so Ladybug holt him in firm hug for a moment.  
"Now?" she asked.  
"Now!" answered Adrien and gave her the Book.  
"Miraculous Ladybug!" she shrieked and threw the Book upstairs.  
Place, where they were, was changed. Now it looked rather like inside of respectable Mausoleum, well, not like in that one, where crowds gawp on Lenin's taxidermy…  
Adrien observed in surprise his hand with a key, appearing literally out of Blue, same did Ladybug with file, containing several papers.  
In that moment her transformation ended and Tikki flied to Adrien, patting his cheek:  
"You proved yourself. In ancient times firstborn sons often had duty to perform such kind of ceremonies. Have my sympathy!" with that she returned to Marinette for a cookie.  
"Let's move to dining room," said Adrien, once he found his voice again…

XXXXXXX

Nobody observed small group of ladybugs, flying to Liberty ship, where they repaired Luka's broken guitar.  
Only 'blue-haired excuse of musician' found it one hour later…

XXXXXXX

Similar small group of ladybugs flied to repair wristwatch in Adrien's room and entrance door destroyed by Chat's Cataclysm…

XXXXXXX

"Everybody take your seat!" Adrien decided to take control into his own hands.  
Ladybug just nodded, she finished cleaning area from akumas.  
Master Fu was surprised by sharp tone, but did not object and sat down.  
"Nooroo, first of all, I need to ask you something," started Adrien.  
Everybody looked confused, what was exactly according his plans.  
"Yes, Adrien?" the tone Moth kwami used was rather like saying Master instead of name.  
"Will you need my father to face police and trial at court of justice?"  
"Why do you ask me, Master?" this time kwami forgot to use name.  
"I don't want abuse you, if you need justice for yourself, my father has to pay," explained boy. "But I need your answer right now."  
"He was not a good Master to me," said Nooroo. "But I understand why he did that all. If nobody else needs him in jail, I do not too."  
"Fine, thanks, Nooroo," smiled Adrien. "Could you do a favor for me?"  
"I believe, I can, what favor?" asked kwami.  
"I will need you to transform me to Hawkmoth, but I will need to look EXACTLY as my father looked like. It means, taller, than me and with blue eyes. Could you do that?"  
"I could, but I would need more food, more honey, is it possible?" kwami looked on Adrien with hope.  
"Queen Bee, please, could you?"  
"Sure Adrien!" superheroining Chloé made sad half-smile, producing another dose with honey. "Shame on you, Gabriel, you tortured your servant by hunger."  
"But…" started Gabriel, but Nathalie patted his hand by her palm to calm her boss down.  
"Why do you need that, Adrien?" asked Master Fu with strange amused grimace on dragonish face.  
"Later," retorted Adrien. "Now I have a declaration for you and one suggestion for future."  
Everybody observed him with attention.  
"First of all, I asked Marinette to marry me one day and she agreed. So she's my girlfriend now, soon to be fiancée and later wife, in proper time. I owe you my friends, I owe you a lot," he turned to other superheroes. "You can ask me for a favor service later. Well, not for something that would break my relationship with Marinette or cause me to bankrupt. I'm going to do indoor work without heavy lifting in future."  
He turned to his father and to Nathalie.  
"I do not trust you right now, but we'll have to cooperate in future. I'll continue in my work for you, father, but you'll allow me to be with my friends for reasonable time. Once I'm eighteen, you'll officially announce me as co-owner of Gabriel Brand, with five percent of all actives. I strongly believe, I worked for that to earn it."  
"Actually Adrien, you ARE owner of SEVEN percent of Gabriel Brand, but your father is responsible to hold it in trust till you're twenty-one."  
"Well, the more the better," said Adrien. "I'll need some funds in future."  
"You'll need money?" asked Gabriel. "What for?"  
"I wish to apply for University studies and I chose for not so easy subject, so work-study program together with being with my partner would be exhausting."  
"Gabriel Branch could pay your designer study," said Nathalie. "And it's not that much time-consuming or exhausting."  
"I'm not going to study how to make overpriced packaging technology," smirked Adrien. "Gabriel Brand should better pay Marinette's designer study."  
"OVERPRICED PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY!?" shrieked unison Gabriel, Nathalie, Chloé, and Marinette. "Are you mad?!"  
Adrien laughed, even Master Fu and Tom chuckled.  
"OK!" composed Gabriel himself. "What do YOU want to study?"  
"L'École polytechnique," said Adrien with smile. "Quantum mechanics of particles. With help of kwami of Destruction I could obtain some interesting results…"  
"Seriously?" asked Gabriel.  
"Seriously," nodded Adrien. "I could continue with photoshoot, well, less often, I could be 'Name and Face'. But OUR firm will need somebody with true creative talent. I strongly believe, Marinette is the best choice."  
"If being your wife…" said Gabriel. "Yes, you're right."  
"Nathalie, you offered tutor me business management," continued Adrien. "You'll tutor both of us together. You prepare my schedules and you'll continue with that, but you'll integrate into my schedule also time for me to be with Marinette and maybe, you could make agreement together about her schedule, if she agrees. For everybody from outside this room it must look normal, like nothing special changed, just I have a girlfriend. But, there WILL be one BIG change. You'll prepare also YOUR and my father's schedules and you'll mark there times, when you'll either meet with investors or have another justified reason for me or Marinette not to disturb you. During other time we both must be allowed to contact you for advice or talk. Do you agree?"  
"I think, I can," said Nathalie. "Sir?"  
"Sure, anything!" answered Gabriel.  
"Shame on you Gabriel!" said Tom, Beauceron now. "Adrien is your only son and does he really need to blackmail you for acting like father you are to be for him?"  
Gabriel ducked his head and Nathalie pathed his hand.  
"And you will marry Nathalie," dropped Adrien his bombshell.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34)

"WHAT?!" shrieked Gabriel and jumped up from his chair. "ADRIEN!…"  
"Sit!" Adrien pointed on table by his index finger. "DOWN! NOW!"  
"Are you mad?!" asked Gabriel. "You simply can't order us to marry!"  
"I can and I will," said Adrien with patient smile out of sudden. "It must be something in our genetics…"  
"What do you mean?" asked his father confused.  
"I hadn't recognized Marinette is in love with me for a pretty long time. You're same oblivious to Nathalie. She even became villain to help you resurrect her own love rival. What more do you need? I painfully miss my mom, but I believe, she would prefer you being happy with another woman, rather than being responsible for my death."  
Gabriel silently stared on him in total disbelieve.  
"When?" asked Nathalie, pragmatic as she usually was. "When do you need us to marry?"  
"You're the genial organizer here, so details are up to you. I need my father to be married man this Christmas."  
"If we do it in such haste, people would think, I'm pregnant," protested Nathalie.  
The ice-like façade of her crushed a little bit…  
"Good idea!" said Adrien. "This house is big enough for ten children. So, several siblings could be only welcomed. Just do remember, I AM the firstborn…"  
Young Agreste let everybody to think his words over in silence for a minute or two.  
"Just a detail," said Marinette. "What about Grimoire, 'Miraculous Spellbook', that one that Gabriel keeps?"  
"We can let him to keep it, but the only allowed inheritor of that book is either Adrien, or you," said Master Fu, making teethy dragon smile. "If he decides to abuse it again or give it to another person, me or any of us would take measures against him. It's part of his goodwill showcase for future cohabitating."  
Marinette was surprised for a moment, but nodded with a smile.  
"Nathalie, if you would wish so, I could design your wedding gown," she said with smile.  
"Dupain-Cheng Bakery would be honored to make your wedding cake," said Sabine.  
"Right!" agreed Adrien. "Father, pay them good money. Don't worry, it will stay in family finally…"  
"There's another problem," said Gabriel. "I'm still married man and if I show Emilie to authorities and ask to be declared as widower, they would reveal me as Hawkmoth."  
"I can help you with this problem," Marinette showed papers from miraculous ladybugs. "According these documents your wife asked for divorce four months ago, using an lawyer office in French Guiana."  
"Really?" asked Gabriel in disbelieve.  
"Power of Creation can work a creative way sometimes," answered Tikki.  
"Doctor Bornish was authorized to take care of legal and administrative sides of that case," continued Marinette. "Once Emilie Agreste obtained her divorce papers, she moved to Costa Rica, from there she left for Hong-Kong. There her trace disappeared. So, you're divorced man in fact. You can't have a catholic wedding. But I believe, mayor Burgeois will splice you two without hesitation."  
"Daddy will be delighted!" laughed Queen Bee.  
Gabriel made a bitter fake laughter, but nodded: "Deal."  
"Adrien, why did you ask Nooroo about transforming you into Hawkmoth carbon copy?" asked Master Fu.  
"We'll need a story for audience here in Paris," explained Adrien. "We'll need to find an abandoned factory, create there something, what would look like a lair of supervillain and prepare video with us chasing Hawkmoth. But there must be body in Hawkmoth's costume, not just Rena's mirage. We must show them, Hawkmoth flied from his lair, ideally left the place in flames, but we didn't succeed to catch him. So there's a bit less stress from being akumatized, but still a risk. And yes, there's Mayura out of there. Well, there's really a lot of free flying akumas all over the city. So we, as superheroes, can't reveal ourselves to publicity as well as we can't just decide to retire…"  
"OK, I could help you with that," said Nathalie.  
"You could?" asked Adrien surprised. "How?"  
"I prepared similar kind of show, you want to do. Well, in fact it was trap to catch you, before Gabriel learned, that Chat Noir is his only son. I made agreement with mobsters, as Mayura, naturally. Trust me, they accepted cash from supervillain without slightest hesitation. So there's fake mad scientist's lab with some old computers, in memory of these computers are photos of heroes and some general information about them, just collected from public media. Place is equipped with secret passage and adjusted by firebombs, strong enough to destroy that building. It could be destroyed by one push of button. Well, there are two circles, one detonates just only several bombs near that fake Hawkmoth workstation and entry to secret passage, second fires all bombs in one moment. There are firebombs near access entry, they would be detonated either together with bombs next to secret passage, or they would be activated by flames during arson of that place. Time of delay is a bit unsure, probably two or three minutes. Local mobsters secure safety of that place from the homeless and also destroy every new street camera close to that place. Anyway, on way there we would need to change plates of car. We can't use limo, naturally, but my old car is prepared. I must be a driver for the way there, just to show, how to avoid being on street cameras records…"  
"When and why did you prepare that?" asked confused Gabriel.  
"Not that long ago, I can manage time, sir," explained Nathalie. "But I planned simply to use sentimonster looking like Hawkmoth and catch all the heroes in that trap," "I could collect Miraculouses from their dead bodies and place there fake Moth Miraculous, so people would think, Hawkmoth was lost in flames together with his opponents. It would be effective resolution of problem, but unfit in situation, when Adrien is Chat Noir…"  
"Quite impressive plan," said Tigresse.  
All others felt freezing horror from that coldblooded murderous plot.  
"It could work in fact, Miraculouses are almost indestructible," said Master Fu. "But I still did not get, why do you need to look like real Hawkmoth, Adrien, care to explain?"  
"Sure," nodded Adrien. "Everybody knows, Volpina's illusions or Rena's mirages disappear after being touched. So there simply MUST be body on place of Hawkmoth, when heroes will come to seize him. It could be approved by a hit of Ladybug's yo-yo. It's like a illusionist's trick. People will concentrate their attention on Hawkmoth, they'll expect a fake, most likely illusion. Nobody would pay attention on Chat Noir, especially, if there would be more, than one Chat Noir, when Rena Rouge would use her mirages."  
"You mean like five Ladybugs and five Chats attacking in one moment on Hawkmoth, who gotten hit by yo-yo set the arson and disappear in hidden tunnel," said Rena Rouge. "Magnificent, but also pretty risky. For all of us, especially for you Adrien. Do you think, it's really wise and necessary?"  
"I think so," answered Adrien.  
"We can use sentimonster," said Nathalie. "If you return me Peacock Miraculous…"  
"No way!" retorted Adrien. "I remember, how devastating effect that Miraculous had on you. There's another question, father. How did mom die?"  
"When I purchased both Miraculouses and Grimoire from trafficker in China, he said, it's just ancient jewelry and old book written in unknown language. He was stupid, but I didn't recognize truth in the beginning too."  
Gabriel seemed to be lost in his memories for a moment.  
"Emilie liked Peacock Brooch a lot, and when I discovered truth about kwamis, she tried to use Duusu to transform into superhero. But same as you Adrien, she had feather allergy. Once she was all in feathers, she died from anaphylactic shock. We tried to resuscitate her immediately, but with no success. So I wanted to use the Wish…"

"When she died because of kwami magic, her released life energy probably damaged Peacock Miraculous," explained Master Fu.  
"That's so lame!" said Rena Rouge.  
"But true," answered Gabriel silently.  
"So…" said Adrien. "Who agrees with our next arrangement? Stolen Miraculouses will be returned to Master Guardian's hands, Moth Miraculous after preparing our little show. Father will marry Nathalie and allow me be a normal boy, at least some times and Marinette will be allowed anywhere I'll be as my girlfriend promising future designer. I will settle up with my friends on my own. Dupain-Cheng Bakery will obtain offers for doing catering for Gabriel Brand actions. Is there something to add to this convention?"  
"There will most likely appear something lately," said Gabriel. "But I have myself one counter-demand. Miss Dupain-Cheng designed costumes for music group Kitty Section, where Luka Couffaine is a member too. As he poses a threat, I need Nathalie to be present during every negotiation about making new costumes for this group and in fact during every meeting with this 'excuse for musician', how Adrien named him. And that work must be done with proper business contract. Do YOU agree, Miss Dupain-Cheng?"  
Marinette understood, Gabriel had to get his small victory. Adrien is jealous and he will for sure agree with this demand, so there is no sense in refusal, well, if she wants happy life with Adrien in future.  
"I accept it. However I think, it's exaggerated. I also agree with Adrien's plan of arrangement for future."  
"I agree with this arrangement too," said Master Fu. "We may need something from you later, but for now it's enough, I believe."  
"I agree," said simply Sabine, still Queen Monkey. "Adrien, you're wiser I'd believe for your age."  
"I agree with my wife," Beauceron form suited Tom quite well. "Welcome to family son. If Gabriel would make troubles again, you could live in our house."  
"It could attract unwished attention to your Bakery," said Adrien. "But I'm going to plea for being invited for lunch or dinner sometimes."  
"You don't need to beg," said Sabine with smile.  
"I agree too!" Chloé's, well for now Queen Bee's, answer was surprise. "I'm sorry for being rude to you Marinette and I hope to be your friend in future. But brake Adrien's heart and I'll destroy your life entirely."  
"I heard you sound and safe," answered Marinette. "We could be friends, just accept, Adrien chose himself."  
Chloé made a sad silent half-smile.  
"Similar to Chloé," said Tigresse. "Care wrong about Adrien and you'll have to deal with me."  
"I don't think threats are necessary," said Rena Rouge. "I agree, but I'll need later some good story for Ladyblog and a few interviews."  
"I also agree," said Carapace. "Good luck and good job, dude…"  
"I do agree too!" said voice nobody expected to hear here.  
Everybody observed ghost of Emilie Agreste, levitating close to Gabriel…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35)

Emilie, slightly diaphanous, stared on Gabriel, whose eyes were full of tears.

"Gabriel, my love, my husband…" her voice was close to what Adrien was used to hear. "I'm sad to leave you. I have only a short moment to say goodbye. But you MUST continue living… Doing what you did was WRONG! You simply MUSTN'T become a villain! And that devilish laughter, that was so not cool, you know… You still have your chance for forgiving, but you must DO right things for that from now. Be that man I fell in love with and whom I married. Be that man for Adrien and be that man for Nathalie. My death wasn't your solo fault, I was in it too. Yes, I'd wish to be with you again, but not for price like life of my only son. Be happy again, I bless you. Gabriel, we can meet, later, not now…"

"Emilie!" Gabriel started to cry even more bitterly. Ghost of his wife tried to hug and kiss him, but it naturally did not work…

Emilie turned to Adrien.

"My perfect Adrien, my so goodhearted son," ghost's face made loving smile. "I'm so proud of you. You showed some weaknesses, but nobody is really perfectly mistake-less. You're clever, brave, and finally also handsome. I believe Marinette could be happy with you. I'm sad I could never hug my grandchildren, but take care to have some. Be blessed, one day we'll meet again, but do not hurry with that."

She did same attempt to hug and kiss her son with same failure like with Gabriel.

"Marinette," she turned to her son's girlfriend. "You're so gifted. I'm glad my son chose you to be his female partner for life. In future it many times maybe could be uneasy, but remember, you're worth of anything and Adrien is also worth of anything. Be blessed."

"Chloé," this moment Emilie made a bit apologizing, sad smile, like remembering something. "Years ago I promised you Adrien as your future husband. It was a mistake, I was wrong. I know it now. I'm sorry for that. But you're not child anymore. Please find somebody you could be happy with and be blessed for your help to my son and finally to my husband too."

"Mrs. Agreste, how is it in Heaven?" asked Chloé.

"Sorry girl, I was forbidden to say anything concerning that," answered ghost.

She moved to Tigresse, who made a deep bow, however she was unable to leave her chair.

"Kagami Tsurugi. So proud, so clever, and also so beautiful. Trust me, I'd be happy, if my son chose you as his partner. But it'll not happen. My family, including me, is indebted to you for your bravery and kindheartedness. Your family should be really proud of you. Be blessed."

Emilie made a small bow, what Tigresse repeated.

"Alya Cesaire," she smiled on Rena Rouge. "You'll have a hard time now. You'll have to construct a believable lie, concerning today's events. Not an easy assignment for a journalist…"

"If I write, what really happened, Adrien would be who loses most. Even more, that his father. And who would believe, ghost of Emilie Agreste appeared here?"

"You're right, be blessed for being so kind."

Carapace looked on Adrien's mother with fear, but not in terror.

"Nice to meet you, du… madam."

"Nino Lahiffe, first friend of my son in his new school. Thank you for that and thank you for your help. Be blessed."

Now she moved to Queen Monkey and Beauceron.

"Sabine Cheng, Tom Dupain, you both should be really proud of your daughter. You raised her really well. I'm glad to get the possibility meet you now, however only this way… Be both blessed. Please look for Adrien a little bit. He never really lived in real world, but he's not really dumb, just unexperienced."

"Sure way, madam!" Beauceron felt strange feelings. "Marinette loves him, that's most important for me."

Emilie moved to Nathalie.

"I know, you loved Gabriel even before my death, Nathalie."

Nathalie, probably for a first time Adrien remembered, looked being ashamed and lowered her eyes.

"As it wasn't mutual that time and as you didn't overstep the line, I did nothing with that. Now I'm gone. Please, be nice to both Gabriel and Adrien. Gabriel maybe will need more time, than Adrien gave him, so be helpful a bit, but don't let him become lazy. Please, keep him busy, so he couldn't start with villainy again. Be blessed."

"Thank you, Emilie," was only Nathalie was able to say.

"Etienne, thank you for taking care for my family," Emilie moved to Gorilla, who only nodded. "You'll have not easy time in near future, but I hope, you'll keep your loyalty. Be blessed, my friend."

Then she moved to kwamis, speking also to those, who were locked in transformations:

"Duusu, I know, your magic didn't kill me by intentionally. I hope, you'll get good wielder in future, same I hope for your friends. Nooroo, thank you for forgiving Gabriel. Tikki, Plagg, Trixx, Pollen, Wayzz, Roaar, Chuppu and Barkk, you were so helpful during downing Hawkmoth. I can't thank you enough, just be all of you blessed."

To common surprise, all free-flying kwamis bowed to Emilie.

"And last, but not least, here we have Weng Fu, alias Master Guardian," said ghost of Emilie Agreste surprisingly hard tone. "Well, you won, or I should rather say, heroes chosen partially by you won. So here usual excuse comes – ends justified means. That goes also for you Gabriel, by the way. Recruiting children warriors is considered a crime by International Court of Justice in Hague. I know, you're going to say, you needed somebody pure-hearted. But however I know the truth, that if Betrayal and Backstabbing would be Olympic sports, France would obtain golden medal, I simply do NOT trust, you couldn't find somebody adult for that job. As nobody died, your actions could be forgiven. But if my son died, trust me, I'd find the way to make you suffer for that. Remember, you owe all of these heroes. You owe them really much. But on the other hand, I owe you my blessing for helping Adrien. Maybe it could help you in future to be better Guardian."

Master Fu stared on ghost of Emilie Agreste, who vanished few seconds after that her last proclamation…

XXXXXXX

"How did you find I'm Chat Noir?" asked Adrien.

"I used FBI Face-Identification Software," answered his father.

"So it's eleven fifteen," said Nathalie, after brief look on her wristwatch. "At about twelve we could be at place, if you stop wasting time by talking. My car isn't big enough for all of you. Could some of you just follow the car as superheroes?"

"Well, I and Marinette will go with you in car," said Adrien. "I believe, the others could follow us."

"I guess so," nodded Tigresse. "Don't drive too fast."

"It's Paris here," said Nathalie. "HOW would you drive too fast in such a traffic jam?"

They moved to garage. Adrien examined key obtained from miraculous ladybugs.

"What purpose could it have?" asked Marinette.

"I believe, it's a key to my room, so I could lock myself, to prevent Black Cat Miraculous to be stolen," answered Adrien. "I'll check it later. Now we have a lot of work to do. Nathalie, I need two new memory sticks, ideally without fingerprints or DNA traces."

"For what?" asked Gabriel slightly confused.

"I think, he wants to make video about catching Hawkmoth and pass it to police and TV," said Nathalie. "Am I right?"

"Exactly," nodded Adrien.

"Fine, give me a minute," said Nathalie and ran to her office.

In few moments, a bit later, than just one minute, she returned with two new memory sticks in original sealed package.

"Open it not dropping your transformation and hide the wrappings, superhero suit prevents contamination by fingerprints or DNA traces," she said, passing both memory sticks to Carapace.

"Marinette, once you transform, place the Peacock Miraculous into your yo-yo," said Master Guardian. "Power of Creation should restore it, hard to say, in what time…"

He turned to Queen Monkey and Beauceron.

"You did good job. Could I invite myself for lunch to your place? I guess, they should end with all their games about two in afternoon. Still not that much late for celebration lunch for heroes, I believe…"

"Sure, you all are invited," said Beauceron.

"Am I invited too?" asked Queen Bee shyly.

"Sure, why not?" asked Marinette and Sabine simultaneously.

"I was often cruel to Marinette…" Queen Bee looked sad.

"I can forgive you," said Marinette. "We'll discuss things later, during lunch, I suppose."

"Well," smirked Adrien, looking for his father and Nathalie. "You two should go together to an fancy restaurant, should be seen by some paparazzi and also buy a good lunch for Etienne. If newshounds ask, you may say, you were secretly together for longer time and you decide to go public once you've learned about my girlfriend. It's believable story…"

"He's right," said Nathalie. "In fact, we can use his relationship with Miss Dupain-Cheng for our brand PR. People do love Cinderella-like stories."

"So, we'll go to that place you chose, start arson and go to restaurant?" asked Gabriel. "Sounds a bit complicated."

"In fact it must be even MORE complicated," explained Adrien. "In moment, when WE start arson, you should be with limo in that restaurant. All records showing another car leaving our garage should be deleted. So if anybody would investigate it in future, you were in restaurant, where plenty people observed you and well, I was at Marinette's place together with a lot of my friends, all having good time together. Identity of costumed villains and heroes should stay unexplained, mysterious…"

"Good plans, works for me," said Tigresse.

XXXXXXX

During their travel, they were silent in car. Adrien first of all removed handgun from glove compartment and placed it into his pocket. The Gorilla, well, Etienne, was next to driver seat, where Nathalie placed herself. Gabriel was on middle back seat, halfway guarded by Marinette and Adrien, each on one side of car. Nathalie's old Peugeot was pale blue and slightly battered. They changed plates three times, before they came to abandoned factory.

"They know the car," said Nathalie. "They know, they shouldn't observe, once I'm here. I taught them, well, hard way."

Adrien opened car window on his side:

"Tigresse!" he shouted.

Superheroine appeared in a moment.

"Could you please check the place, so nobody would observe us?"

"Sure," she nodded.

Before she could run away, Nathalie opened her car window and passed a cheap phone to Tigresse.

"I use it to contact mobsters, it was purchased out of Paris, paid cash. You could place a message on Ladyblog about this place and after that remove battery from phone. So if anybody would later check communication, they would think, it was Mayura's setup trap."

Tigresse nodded, placed phone somehow into suddenly appearing pocket and ran away.

"Coast is clear," she said, when she returned in less, than two minutes. "No eyes here."

"Good," said Adrien and left car.

"Tikki! Spots on!" Marinette left car as Ladybug.

Other superheroes appeared there and Plagg together with Nooroo both left their hiding place under Adrien's shirt.

"Nooroo, how long could you keep me transformed that enhanced way I asked you?"

"I'm not sure, Ma… Adrien. At least five minutes, but hardly longer, than one hour."

"Fine, that means, I'll transform just before action. Let's go."

Nathalie worn gloves and showed them quite a complicated way. Door was closed with old-fashioned mechanical numerical lock, like old treasures used.

"Code is four to left, five to the right, one to the right, two to the left and seven to the right," said Nathalie and showed, how she opened the door. "I better used this system, as it's independent on illegal electric supply mobsters arranged for me."

She switched the light on, so they can observe quite a lot akuma butterflies being everywhere. They were all only white, but with light they started flying in circles around lightbulbs.

"Quite a spooky place," said Carapace. "It's like Orfanik's laboratory, I like it."

Nathalie moved to old table, where two computers, still with cathode-ray tubes, instead of flat LCDs, were placed.

"Here, here, and here," showed Nathalie three buttons. "The button closest to you, when you sit on this chair, initiate only firebombs close to this place. The second button initiates everything. Third button could initiate firebombs more close to intruders. But I planned to have some video taken by you, I hoped you'll put it life online and I planned explosion near to secret passage. And here's the fake Moth Miraculous," she added, giving him the anciently looking brooch.

"OK," nodded Adrien. "I hope there's no trick. Now go change for a lunch. We'll start in half of an hour."

Gorilla, well, Etienne, nodded and pushed both Gabriel and Nathalie back to the car.

On the way back to Agreste Manor Nathalie and Gabriel were both on back seats and their bodyguard made all necessary trick to avoid being recorded with true plates.

"What restaurant would you prefer?" asked Gabriel.

"Surprise me!" said Nathalie. "Finally, you're to be gentleman here, so chose one, sir."

"Well, Nathalie, I'll chose one, once you remember to name me Gabriel, finally we're supposed to get married soon."

XXXXXXX

Adrien with friends examined hidden pathway. It was not straight, there were three curves of tunnel, before it ended with fake wall, the proper place was almost invisible, if observed from outside. On the place after second curve Adrien left the fake brooch.

"Here should investigators find that crap. I'll say, I lost orientation in flames just after first curve," explained Adrien.

"Fine," agreed Tigresse. "I'll place a note about Hawkmoth being here on Ladyblog. Kitsune, you'll remove that note in five minutes."

"Why?" asked Rena Rouge.

"We don't want too many rubberneckers being here."

"OK," said Carapace. "I need to try, how will I shoot our coming here."

"Nooroo, how is your catchphrase?" asked Adrien.

"Nooroo! Dark wings rise and dark wings fall," explained kwami. "I need more honey, please, can I have it?"

Queen Bee wordlessly passed him a dose with honey.

"OK, Nooroo! Dark wings rise!" ordered Adrien.

He was taller now and when other heroes checked him, they recognized blue eyes.

Adrien, Hawkmoth now, sat on his chair. The other heroes left the place. Once they were closed to entry, Rena Rouge removed note about Hawkmoth being on this address and said: "Mirage!"

Five Chats Noir and four Ladybugs appeared.

"Find the Path!" said Tigresse and opened the numerical lock.

Carapace made video-shooting like being mad.

Adrien was surprised by presence of alien cerebration inside his own head. He recognized Lila's voice:

"Hawkmoth, where are you?"

"Lila, that's lovely to hear you again!" said Adrien aka Hawkmoth with evil smile, when he observed Carapace filming that…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36)

"I need your help Hawkmoth, give me more powers!" demanded Lila-Volpina.  
"Right now I'm a bit busy darling," answered Adrien-'Hawkmoth'. "Ladybug and other bozos came uninvited to my place. But if you help me distract them, I could give you some

more powers later. Right now you have all powers you could need. Your illusions could do a pretty little havoc in Paris. Do me favor, I like Alien movies, so make a starship

with Aliens, landing next to Eifel tower. Do it as grandiose show!"  
"You'll be not disappointed!" promised Volpina. "Parisians will crap into their pants from scare. But don't forget, I'll need more power later."  
"Later," answered 'Hawkmoth'. "Now I have guests here to welcome. Bye Lila!"  
"Surrender, Hawkmoth!" shrieked Ladybug.  
Her yo-yo hit 'Hawkmoth', but did not wrap him.  
"Never, Spottybug!" shrieked 'Hawkmoth' back.  
Tigresse moved to him with wakizashi in her right hand, tanto dagger in her left hand. 'Hawkmoth' unsheathed sword from his cane, scabbard part in his left hand he used as

cudgel, making several circles in air, with sword close to his back in backwind, ready to cut attack.  
When Tigresse cutted on his head, 'Hawkmoth' riposted by sword and with scabbard he hit her right side, bouncing her away.  
"You'll never catch me!" he yelled and pressed button, causing explosion of firebombs next to entrance of secret pathway.  
Flames appeared likely elsewhere near that point. Five Chats Noir ran on Hawkmoth's heels. Other heroes but Tigresse withdrew close to Carapace.  
"Don't follow me!" All five Chats Noir shrieked unison.  
"Tigresse, come here!" ordered Carapace.  
Heroine hesitated for a moment, but followed order finally.  
Once they made circle around him, Carapace ordered: "Shelter!"  
They moved to way out. 'Structural integrity' of building started collapse, thankfully Shelter Power kept them safe. Once they left, building collapsed totally.  
"Kitty, my lovely kitty…" whispered Ladybug in horror, her hearth almost stopped…

XXXXXXX

Adrien-'Hawkmoth' had hard time. He stumbled through smoke and flames expanding quicker, than he estimated on beginning…  
Plagg levitated near to him:  
"No time to wait! Change us! Go this way!" little kwami pointed to left.  
"Nooroo! Dark wings fall!" he shouted out and being 'just' Adrien he started coughing.  
Nooroo hided under his shirt, in fact kwami's power helped Adrien a bit to breath anyway.  
"Plagg! Claws out!" he ordered almost with the last breath he hoped to enjoy living on this World…  
As Chat Noir he felt stronger and ordered: "Cataclysm!" using his powers on wall in direction where Plagg recommended him to go.  
The whole building started collapsing. He escaped probably in a last possible moment…  
Coughing up soot and dust he finally found his friends.  
"Mon Chatton, I was worried you're dead, when that hovel collapsed!" Ladybug flung her arms round his neck and kissed him.  
"Excellent, I have it!" said Carapace, who made video of this reunion. "We should move to Tower, Aliens' starship just landed there and Paris turned into hellish havoc."  
"First of all we must feed our kwamis," said Tigresse, whose transformation was to fall right now. "You should do it too. You don't want fall from an rooftop just because

your transformation just collapsed like this shack…"

XXXXXXX

Lila-Volpina had already good time. So Ladybug & her melody boys and girls somehow found Hawkmoth's lair… Never mind. If they caught her, she can always proclaim, Hawkmoth

forced her to do everything wrong she did. She played her flute…  
She used picture of starship Prometheus, as template for her own ship, however much smaller, than original should be. Starship moved without great noise, just with strong

buzz and it finally landed on a green-yard on Avenue Pierre Loti just next to Eiffel tower. Lila understood, it is a moment, when every detail counts. So her illusion

included also collapsing of ground under landing legs of ship. She protected herself, using illusion of invisibility placed on her own body. The only she needed to do was

hiding into an attic on wall of Centre Culturel De L'ambassade D'Azerbaidjan, as there was an excellent lookout for her need. Doors of starship opened and several 'Runners'

(Alien stage Runner) left the vessel. They naturally did not move on same speed, as in film. It would be complicated to control these illusions, if moved quicker.  
Observers panicked from the moment starship vessel appeared on sky and moved down. In moment there were several car crush, thanks to low speed of vehicles there were no death

nor seriously injured. Police forces were capable only to direct escaping crowd into relative safety. One temporally police post was formed on Terrain De Jeux, second on

corner of Avenue Anatole France and Avenue du Général Ferrié. All accesses were marked with 'Police Line – Do Not Cross!' tape. Several police snipers positioned themselves

on rooftops, but their order was 'Shoot only in case of evident life threat!' and as strange monsters did nothing yet, nobody wanted to start war with possible

extraterrestrial civilization right now…

XXXXXXX

"Plagg! Claws in!"  
Little kwami of Destruction ate his Camembert without grumble, what showed, how situation is serious. Tigresse's transformation dropped exhausted itself, same was with

Carapace, Rena Rouge dropped it voluntarily.  
"Trixx! Let's relax!"  
Once they fed kwamies and got transformed, Chat Noir called firefighter, surprised no one appeared yet. He used video-call to avoid misunderstanding.  
"Hallo, it's Chat Noir speaking. May I ask you a little help?"  
Chat Noir positioned himself the way, showing flames and destruction of old factory building.  
"Did you played with matches, Kitty?" asked firefighter operator, woman in her forties.  
"We got information about Hawkmoth's secret lair, but it was a trap," explained Ladybug. "He used firebombs and almost destroyed us…"  
"Right now I can send no one. All units are near Eiffel tower to help with alien attack…"  
"These aliens are just a fake, an illusion," explained Chat Noir. "We need to catch akuma responsible for it, so we can't waste time with this old building in fire. Our

address is," Chat explained address. "I believe you've already got info about this fire."  
"OK," agreed operator. "We'll send unit there to manage it. I believe, the building itself is of no value, so we just prevent extension of fire out of there. So go and kick

that akuma ass!"  
Carapace made copy of video he made and placed it into each memory stick. Both memory sticks he placed into his pocket. He assumed, both Police and TV will be on place of new

akuma attack for sure…  
When they left place, they observed coming fire engine with siren on…

XXXXXXX

"Quite impressive," said Tigresse, observing scene. "You may hate Lila to guts, but you must admit, she thinks in magnanimous perspective."  
"Well, 'Hawkmoth' asked her to do so," said Rena Rouge. "Have you any other similar Barnumian idea like this one, Chat Noir?"  
"In fact yes," Chat Noir gave her teethy grin. "I like also Klingons, so you could create Mirage of Klingon military spaceship and several Klingons, who would massacre these

Aliens."  
"I need to find good place to film that," Carapace laughed. "I can't miss it!"  
"OK," agreed Chat Noir. "Find your place, but remember, you'll have just this one opportunity, so chose right place from where you'd not need to move to another one. You have

less, than five minutes to do so."

XXXXXXX

Police sniper was not very happy from meeting with heroes. He refused accept, that Extraterrestrials he observes are pure fake.  
"Just please, don't shoot!" asked him Ladybug. "Illusions as well as Mirages don't stay touch. But you could protect Rena Rouge. She'll need this place with good lookout for

controlling her own Mirages against Volpina's illusions."  
"Do you know, where is Lieutenant Raincomprix right now?" asked Chat Noir.  
"His post is on corner of Avenue Anatole France and Avenue du Général Ferrié," pointed sniper by index finger. "Paris Police Prefect assigned him to deal with this circus."  
"Hopefully he'll be not mad, if WE would solve this nonsense," smirked Chat Noir.  
"I believe, he would love it," smirked sniper back. "Good luck, guys!"  
"Mirage!" shrieked Rena Rouge.  
Out of blue sky appeared imperial Klingon Warbird. Space vessel was landing with earsplitting engine roaring. Warbird disruptors shot Aliens' vessel into pieces. Several

Runners tried to escape, but were vaporized by disruptor shooting.  
Carapace filmed it and was already absorbed in it.  
Seven Klingons with Bat'leths in their hands left their starship and their leader shrieked:  
"Tugh qoH nachDaj je chevlu'ta'!"*  
(*"Soon a fool and his head will be separated!" The Final Reflection, John M. Ford)  
Another shrieked: "QaStaHvIS wa' ram loSSaD Hugh SIjlaH qetbogh loD!"*  
(*"One man can cut four thousand throats in a single night, if he is continually running." Klingon soldier, Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Day of the Dove")  
"I have no idea, that heroes could be Klingon fans," said police sniper, who observed enhancing havoc.

XXXXXXX

Lieutenant Raincomprix was not really happy, when four heroes appeared on his post. He observed Klingons appearing out of blue, who massacred Aliens.  
"I need handcuffs, Lieutenant" said Queen Bee. "Please!"  
"With all respect, Miss Burgeois…"  
"With all respect, Lieutenant, it's Queen Bee for you right now! As hero I serve and protect City of Paris, same as you."  
None of them knew about Nadja Chamack, who together with her cameraman observed scene from hiding place in a bush. Her cameraman showed her thumbs up. Their take was life on

TV right now. If Chloé Burgeois is here and demands for handcuffs, it is worth to wait here…  
"OK! Officer Ficolle, give her your handcuffs!" ordered to one of uniforms.  
"Lieutenant!" nodded officer and handed his handcuffs to Queen Bee.  
"Find the Path!" ordered Tigresse and hit the track.  
Queen Bee followed her in two or three steps distance.  
Tigresse found Lila-Volpina quite quickly. Heroine unseathed her Wakizashi, pointing towards villain girl:  
"Meet my blade! Name is 'Rain of Blood'!"  
Queen Bee shortly laughed and jumped on moulding up to their position. From there she quickly jumped down, coming to Volpina's back. She did not see the girl, but estimated

her position.  
"Venom!" she asked for her powers and jumped in estimated direction.  
It was almost like divine justice worked that moment perfectly, as her stinger hit Volpina's buttock. In that moment all illusions disappear, together with villain girl's

invisibility.  
"You killed all fun!" accused Tigresse, but returned Wakizashi into scabbard and grabbed unconscious girl. "You have that handcuffs, I guess. Use it!"  
Queen Bee grinned and handcuffed Volpina. Tigresse grabbed their captive in fireman's style carry.  
Once Aliens together with wreck of their ship disappeared, Klingons returned into their Warbird. Their vessel soared with boom and thunder above the clouds and disappeared

back into the blue…  
Rena Rouge and Carapace moved to Lieutenant Raincomprix's post.  
"Was anything I just saw real?" asked Lieutenant, shooking his head.  
"Only this!" said Tigresse and dropped Volpina on ground. "Nadja, come here, we would wish to show everyody, who is hiding herself as akumatied villain."  
"Meet Volpina!" said Queen Bee.  
Nadja with her cameraman moved from bush closer to place.  
Ladybug examined Volpin's unconscious body.  
"I can't find akumatized object."  
"Maybe we need some luck, M'lady?" grinned Chat Noir.  
"Right!" nodded Ladybug. "Lucky Charm!"  
Ladyug obtained hand magnifying glass in Sherlock Holmes style.  
"When you have eliminated the imposible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth," quoted one of police officers Sherlock Holmes.  
Ladybug examined unconscious Volpina with magnifying glass.  
"Here, Kitty!" she pointed on right earring.  
"Again?" Chat Noir shook his head and asked his powers: "Cataclysm!"  
He touched earring only by claw on his pointing finger.  
"No more evildoing for you!" said Ladybug and caught escaping akuma by her yo-yo.  
"And Volpina is…" said Chat Noir, showing to girl. "Lila Rossi, what a surprise! Here we have rat!"  
Chat Noir hoped TV station did not cut them from life broadcasting and Lila was exposed on TV such a way.  
"Where I'M?" Lila tryied to pretend innocent.  
"We got you!" announced Tigresse. "How will you lie away from that?"  
"We will see," smirked Lila. "We will see. I did nothing wrong willingly."  
"OK!" Lieutenant Raincomprix was angry. "Officer Ficolle, she's in your handcuffs, so you should hand her to juvenile detention."  
"Yes Lietenant!" nodded officer and grabbed girl. "Let's go!"  
Before Ladybug was able to release butterfly, Chat Noir produced entomological killing jar from one pocket. He placed insect inside.  
"I need paper and pen or pencil," he said to Lieutenant Raincomprix.  
Policeman gave him paper from his own pocket notepad and ballpoint. Chat Noir writes few words there.  
"Give it to your CSI," recommended to Lieutenant.  
Carapace handed one memory stick to Lieutenant Raincomprix, second to Nadja Chamack:  
"Maybe you could find that video as interesting, dudes."

XXXXXXX

Nathalie was disappointed a little bit. Gabriel just choosed the restaurant where he usually had his business meetings.  
"Well, kitchen here is quite satisfying," she said aloud. "But next time I'd prefer something more genuine."  
Shortly after waiter accepted their order, Maitre d'hotel appeared:  
"Mr. Agreste, Gauvain DesChantaine is here."  
Gabriel wordlessly gave him 20 euro banknote. Gauvain DesChantaine was freelancer paparazzi, totally unscrupulous and wanton.  
"Should I kick him away or allow him to make some photos of you two?" asked Maitre d'hotel. "You're one of our most valuable habitués. So what would you prefer?"  
"He's the proper person we need," said Nathalie.  
"Should we wait for less stinky person, or use him?" asked Gabriel. "OK, let him do some pictures," he offered 50 euro banknote. "But ask money also from him, not to let him

think, it's some kind of set-up…"  
Maitre d'hotel nodded with smile.  
"Your lunch will be in a few minutes. Bon appétit!"  
Somebody switched on big TV-screen, showing small starship near to Eiffel Tower with several Aliens dawdling around. When Klingon Warbird appeared, Gabriel shook his head:  
"Volpina and Rena Rouge both exaggerate."  
Gauvain DesChantaine made several photos of Nathalie and Gabriel as new-appearing high-society couple and moved to Eiffel Tower. When he arrived there, none Extraterrestrial

was visible any more…

XXXXXXX

"Miraculous Ladybug!" she threw magnifyier glass into air.  
Spell removed traces of total Chaos unleashed by something so close to Pandemonium.  
Rena's Miraculous was first to beep.  
"Sorry my friends!" said Chat Noir with two fingers salute to camera. "It's our parting song for now playing."  
"Whoever things, Extraterrestrials would come first to Paris instead of Washington, New York or maybe Beijing, such person is a fool," said Tigresse, shaking her head.  
"Utterly ridiculous!" laughed Queen Bee.  
All six heroes disappeared and once they were on safe place, they all dropped their transformation and as whole gang they moved to Dupain-Cheng Bakery…

XXXXXXX

Sabine smiled, observing the whole group. It was fifteen minutes to two in afternoon, so Master Fu was quite correct.  
"That was quite a show!" said Tom. "We observed you in TV."  
"Did they show Lila?" asked Marinette and staggered.  
"Tea or coffee?" asked Sabine observing group of tired teenagers. "And yes, they cut it shortly after her appearing. But everybody knows her now as villain…"  
"Anything with good dose of caffeine, quickly please," yawned Adrien.  
Sabine placed cup of coffee into his hand.  
"One killing espresso?" she teased.  
Adrien sipped it pretty quickly and stayed with dreamy face for a moment.  
"One more for being in full operation, please," he whispered.  
"Next one after lunch," said Sabine strictly. "Lunch is in fifteen minutes."  
"I have an idea…" said Adrien slowly.  
"Are you sure?" asked Alya with ugly grin. "Some people think, they have ideas, but all they have are just digestive problems!"  
"No, it's definitively idea," objected Adrien. "Chloé could be our press secretary. Everybody knows her heroic alter ego, so there's no need to hide it. We could publically

proclaim, that she's allowed to keep Miraculous only under our supervision. It needn't be truth, in fact it could be helpful finally."  
"You were right, kitsune," said Kagami with sly grin. "Definitively digestive troubles…"  
"No, I think, it's good idea," protested Marinette.  
"You're biased," smirked Nino. "It's evident, you'd agree with almost anything Adrien is to say."  
"Maybe I'm biased, but it IS good idea," said Marinette. "Chloé could learn that way, how to manage with people, who are not helping, annoying, and tiresome, as lot of

Parisiens by the way are. Maybe she finally could be much better public servant in future, than her father is now."  
-That would be not so big challenge,- thought Adrien, but said nothing aloud.  
It was five minutes to two afternoon, when Master Fu appeared. When Sabine tryied to fall on her knees, he prevented her from doing that.  
"Sabine Cheng, you proved yourself, both as mother and as hero," he said.  
Kagami was on her knees, in her case Master Fu did nothing to prevent that. But he came to her and lyed his hands on top of her head.  
"Kagami Tsurugi, Tigresse, you did it perfect, daughter," he made warm smile and helped Kagami stand up. "I bless you girl for what you did today."  
He turned to other people present there:  
"You all proved yourselves, I'm proud to be your Master Guardian. But right now I will need all your kwamis for a while…"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

"WHAT?! WHY?!" asked all heroes unison. "Do you want to cease us as users of Miraculouses?"  
"Don't worry," calmed Master Fu situation down. "I just need powers of all of them for one small experiment. Keep your Miraculouses, all I need are kwamies."  
Nobody said, what was quite obvious – Miraculous without kwami is good for nothing and they all felt a bit unsure, whether this old 'prankster' did not wish to trick them stop using transformation for later.  
"Madam Cheng, I'll need a private place for a moment," he added.  
Sabine showed him door to small reserve kitchen, used for smaller rushing cooking.  
Adrien dialed number of professor Lefebvre:  
"Professor, cat is out of the bag. You may prepare your article for publishing. By the way, CSI Paris will probably contact you soon. They also obtained one akuma and I recommended them to contact you."  
"Thank you for information, Chat Noir," said professor. "I'll be prepared to explain them my preferential need of authorship of any prospective article concerning akumas."  
"Fine good luck! See you, professor!" said Adrien.  
"Professor?" asked Alya with strange smirk.  
"Later," said Adrien. "We asked an expert in Lepidopterology to help us with akumas."  
"Interesting idea," agreed Alya. "How is it possible, I never though about that myself?"  
"Hard to say," lied Adrien. He was quite sure, true reason is, Alya tends to ignore using experts for expertises and do double-check of every information…  
"Marinette," Chloé sounded surprisingly shyly. "Could we be friends?"  
"I think so," smiled Marinette. "Why do you need to ask?"  
"As friends, we could maybe share…"  
"Share what?!" asked Marintte with sharp blade in her voice.  
"Rather whom," smiled Chloé back. "Share Adrien, I mean we two could share him. I could have him on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You'd have Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays."  
Tom and Nino both looked extremely offended. Sabine and Alya on the other hand looked rather amusedly.  
"Not that way," said Kagami with totally serious face expression. "YOU could have Tuesdays and Fridays, Marinette Wednesadays and Saturdays and I WILL have Mondays and Thursdays."  
"What about Sundays?" asked Alya.  
Marinette looked consternated and stayed wordless.  
"Sundays are for relaxation," said Kagami and Chloé unison.  
"You simply MUSTN'T allow that!" Nino kicked Adrien's ankle.  
"Don't worry!" hissed Adrien back. "I'm not such an idiot."  
He cleared throat, what helped him to capture attention of everybody and said, maybe a bit more loudly, than was necessary:  
"That will NOT happen! I'm not confessor of bearded pedophile, so I don't need more, than one girlfriend. And I chose for Marinette, to be the one. So I won't be shared. And nor I will also not share you Marinette. Not with Luka, Nathaniel, nor with any other boy, who could fall into you in future."  
"What about girls?" asked Alya with wicked smile. "Would you share Marinette with girl?"  
"It¨s your round now!" hissed Adrien to Nino. "Go and tame her!"  
"Tame Alya?" asked Nino. "Are you crazy? She's unstoppable like natural disaster. It's same like you ask me to tame tornado or earthquake…"  
"You coward!" accused him Adrien.  
"Living dog is better, than dead lion,*" answered Nino. "Finally, I'm Frenchman."  
(*Ecclesiastes 9/4 – "There is hope, however, for anyone who is among the living; for even a live dog is better than a dead lion.")  
Adrien gave him killing glare, but laughed.  
In that moment thankfully opened door, where all their kwamies were hidden.  
"Come to see my surprise!" invited Master Fu everybody to back kichen.  
He showed table, where six plain brass rings were placed. All kwamies flied around like a swarm of bees.  
"We named that 'Binding Rings'," said Fu. "There's part of spell given by each kwami, so nobody should figure out, you're heroes. Well, with exception of Chloé, as everybody knows, she's Queen Bee. And Gabriel as well as Nathalie will also know identity of you all. But whoever, who did not yet figured it out, should not be able to reveal you."  
"Nice," nodded Alya. "I hope, there's no ONE ring to rule them all."  
"Off course not," smiled Master Fu. "Don't worry."  
He grabbed one of rings.  
"There are old Chinese ideograms," he explained. "This is Courage, this is Willpower, this is Wisdom, this is Strengthness, this is Loyalty, and this is Kindheartedness, these ideograms are on all six rings. But on four rings there is Love, on two of them, for you Chloé and for you, Kagami, there is ideogram for Sisterhood."  
He gave kind smile to all six heroes:  
"Come here. I have no authority, so my ceremony has no official, nor formal value, but as cleric I can guarantee at least some symbolical sense. Marinette and Adrien, you proved yourself. Will you accept each other as your partner, not only for fight in mask, but also for common life, life out of mask?"  
Marinette smiled on Adrien:  
"I will."  
"I will," Adrien smiled back.  
"Nice," nodded Master Fu. He placed one ring to Marinette's palm, second to Adrien's. "Marinette, place your ring to Adrien's left middle finger. Adrien, place your ring to Marinette's left middle finger. I cannot proclaim you man and woman, but I can proclaim you partners in good and in bad…"  
He looked dreamy for a moment, but smiled, evidently being cool and contended with himself.  
"So, kiss each other!" he said, observing, how Marinette and Adrien looked a bit bewitched, keeping hands of each other. "Dismiss!" he added order.  
"Alya and Nino, you know what to do,I believe," said Fu, giving them their rings. "Will you accept each other as your partner, not only for fight in mask, but also for common life, life out of mask?"  
"I will," they both said unison and used rings same way, like Marinette and Adrien did few moments ago.  
Alya did not need encourage in order for kissing Nino.  
"Nice," smirked old Guardian. "Chloé and Kagami, here are your rings. I understand, it's not same, as they obtained. But I have no boys for you two, so the only I could recommend you, behave to each other like being really sisters."  
To Adrien's and probably also Kagami's surprise Chloé hugged japan girl. Kagami resisted for a moment, but finally hugged her back.  
"So Queen Bee, here's your first assigment as press secretary," said Master Fu. "You'll need to explain, why you have these rings. So, show yourself!"  
"Easy-peasy lemon squeesy," smirked Chloé. "All I wanted was to celebrate my being heroine with Adrien. But he was already with HIS girlfriend and their friends here, but they invited me to join the party. And during party an old Chinese junkman came with so-named friendship rings to sell them to dupes. As Adrien paid for it and as it was a present from him, I accepted it, however I normally do not wear plain brass."  
"Not bad for your first official public lie," said Master Fu.  
"What do you mean?" asked Alya. "As press secretary she should explain…"  
"I hope, you're really not so naïve," said Adrien. "Your press secretary's task is not to explain things. But to say things in a way to manipulate everybody to think, what you want them to think. Sooner you got it, the better."  
It was strange moment, when Alya was finally speechless…  
"Lunch is ready to be eaten," interrupted a bit unpleasant atmosphere Sabine. "Remember you all, maybe you did not hand Hawkmoth to be arrested, but you effectively stopped him from his ravaging. And you both, Chloé and Kagami, you'll be always welcomed here."  
"Really nice from you," said Kagami and made a low bow.  
"As my sister told," smirked Chloé. "You have really tasty macarons here. If you're so kind to invite me, it would be impolite not to take a taste."  
"Who are you and where is Chloé Burgeoise?" asked Alya.  
"HA HA HA," faked laughter Chloé. "I'm able to be nice and polite. Well, if I want something. And I want these macarons…"  
"I guess, you're simply unreformable," Tom laughed aload.  
"Off course!" faked Chloé indignation. "What's perfect doesn't need any reformation."  
After these words whe sat to place next to Marinette and tried some Doubanjiang from one bowl. She made several deep breaths.  
"Gosh!" she said with half-strangled voice. "I had no idea how spicy it could be!"  
When she grabbed glass of water, Kagami stopped her:  
"Eat better some bread with cheese and drink some milk!"  
"Cheese!" Plagg flied to table. "Did somebody say cheese?!"  
"May I?" asked Adrien.  
When Sabine nodded, he placed a chequer of tofu into his mouth.  
"Not that bad, but not a real cheese!" said little black creature. "This one I recognize!" he whooped with delight. "It's almost same good as Cammembert…"  
Nobody was able to stop little black flying glutton from trying various things on table, only Tikki followed him to avoid something to be spoiled or dumped.  
During best party time Chloé's phone ranged:  
"Yes, daddy, what would you need?"  
"My little princess, where are you?" Mayor Burgeois evidently needed something really badly. "Are you with other heroes?"  
"Yep, daddy! We have party."  
"Could you help your daddy?" asked Mayor. "There's press conference in fifteen minutes on place, where that fake spaceship 'landed'."  
"Give us at least half of an hour!" ordered Chloé. "In spare time you and police prefect could prattle your heart content."  
"My little princess…"  
"Don't worry daddy!" Chloé cut his speech off. "We'll say, how much we appreciate your help as Mayor of Paris. At least I will."

XXXXXXX

Paris Police Prefect Jacques Clouseau was man, who liked hearing his own voice. Really a lot. Not that he was just incompetent. He rather gave new meaning to that word. His personal servant Cato Fong conscientiously prepared papers with his speech, but Prefect Clouseau succeeded to spill papers of his speech and reconnect them in wrong sequence. Most funny fact was, neither him, nor any of journalists around recognized it in his babbling…  
"Yes, politics. Where greed wears the mask of morality," he finished his speech, looking to Mayor Burgeois.  
Mayor Burgeois heared all those nonsenses and desired to drink a shot of pastis (or better two, three or four shots)…  
"Hi daddy, I and heroes are finally here!" introduced her group Queen Bee.  
"Hello Parisians!" Chat Noir made Cheshire Cat grin to camera. "We have some good news and some bad news for you. I understand, that amongst our journalists there a lot of uals are. But I'll do my best to explain everything to you."  
"Excuse me, Chat Noir!" asked Alec Cataldi. "But who are uals?"  
"Intelectuals without intellect," explained Chat Noir with even wider smile…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38)

Luka observed Dupain-Cheng Bakery through window. He needed to wink several times, just to be sure, that his eyes were not deceiving him. But what he saw was reality…  
At Dupain-Cheng family table was quite a company. All these people seemed to have so a good time together, that he almost needed to vomit. Especially if observing HIS Marinette being snuggled to Adrien Fucking Agreste. Another two girls, Kagami and Chloé, both with extra big crush on model boy acted, like if they were best friends, if not sisters. Old Chinese looking man was probably an Marinette's relative from her mother side, seemed to be of less importance…  
World must be definitively mad, decided Luka, green with envy now. He came here with his guitar to sing new song he already composed for Marinette. Something must be done, but he had no idea, what. He escaped back to ship Liberty, this time being unnoticed, what made him feel depressed…  
He escaped just few minutes before he could make a very special discovery, what would make him probably even close to suicide…

XXXXXXX

Some of journalists looked like being offended by Chat's words. Dan Gainor said it: 'No one hurts journalism more than journalists.' They simply were unable not to look on themselves through rose-coloured spectacles…  
-What a shame!- thought Chat Noir amusedly. -But some of these cretins painfully need to hear it. However they are probably unable to think better of it.-  
He knew, only way to get these pieces of information into dumb journalists' skuls would be usage of 5 kg sledge-hammer…  
"Be nice, Kitty!" Ladybug palmed his head slightly, like if whe knew his mind.  
"As Chat Noir said, we have some good news and some bad news," said Master Fu, being transformed again. "I'm Guardian of Miraculouses. Call me Master Dragon, if you wish!"  
"Master Dragon, we never observe you to fight against akumatized villains together with other heroes," said Nadja Chamack. "How should we understand, you're here now?"  
"My old bones are too frangible for fighting," smiled Master Dragon. "So I choose younger warriors to do, what has to be done."  
"Recruiting child warriors is a crime," objected Nadja Chamack. "At least Chloé Burgeois is too young to be involved in such kind of violent activities."  
Nadja tended, same as many journalists, consider her point of view to be the only acceptable and used her position to 'format' public opinion by selection of information…  
"Culture, that created our Miraculouses, really long long time ago, had a bit different point of view," Master Dragon widened his smile. "And Chloé Burgeois maybe obtained her Miraculous by accident, but she approved herself finally. Better, than any of us expected. Well, I needed for Miraculous holders persons with pure hearts, first of all."  
"Chloé Burgeois being pure heart?!" Alec Cataldi emited fake hysterical laughter. "That's joke of year, oldie man!"  
When Queen Bee moved to bald-pated journalist with evident intent to stomp into his smile, Tigresse grabbed her shoulder:  
"This worm is not worthy of your attention, Queen Bee. You're thousand times more valuable he could dream to ever be."  
"Thanks Tigresse!" said Queen Bee and showed Alec a cuckhold sign.  
"That was not very nice, Queen Bee," said Master Dragon with smirk. "This way dunce blockhead is unable to understand, how much obtuse he is."  
Chat Noir decided to intervene:  
"As I told, we have good news and we have bad news. Good new is, none of us died, however we were probably allured into trap. Bad new is, Hawkmoth escaped and we even did not observe Mayura today."  
"So you failed again?" asked Prefect Clouseau. "Your Miraculouses should be confiscated and let this job for perfectly trained professionals to be done well. Such powers should be used under proper supervision."  
"By confiscated you mean stolen by government authority?" said with hard expression on transformed face Master Dragon. "Or rather should I say robed? Your professionals are simply not capable to work with magic, like Miraculous is."  
"By the way," broke into that speech Chat Noir. "As far as I know, your well-trained Police professionals did never reveal identity of criminal, known as 'Fantômas', so I don't think, you are in position to criticize."  
"That was my predecessor's, Prefect Juve's failure, not my own," answered Prefect Clouseau. "But anyway…"  
"Forget it!" Master Dragon almost lost his temper. "No way to give these powers into hands of governmental bureaucrats. Our order created Miraculouses several Milenias ago and that long we look after their users. We're independent on any governmental authorities, we are NOT subordinate to any government authority. We MAY support sometimes law-enforcement agencies or officials, but ONLY by OUR OWN free choice."  
Prefect Clouseau was consternated and for a moment speechless. Chat Noir decided to use that moment:  
"On such named 'LadyBlog' we found anonymous notice, that we could find Hawkmot on one place. We erased that notice and stormed that place."  
"Why did you erase that notice?" asked Nadja Chamack. "Wouldn't be wiser to ask Police for coordinate action?"  
"We decided better to avoid presence of people without skills and abilities to protect themselves from magic threat," answered Ladybug, who decided not to let all falshood on Chat Noir. "We didn't want bystanders and rubbernecks to be akumatized or hurt another way."  
"Thank, M'lady!" smiled Chat Noir. "But I'm better storyteller, so let me continue. Carapace made video documentation, you probably observed that video. We found Hawkmoth on that place. He knew about us and initiated firebombs and escaped through secret passage. I followed him, but I lost orientation in flame and smoke, so I used my powers in panique to save my life…"  
"You panicked?" Prefect Clouseau decided to be asshole. "See yourslef, professionals with your equipment would hardly…"  
"I'm unsure, how many of your cops are able to run into flames the way Chat Noir did," interrupted him firefighter chief. "But I can assure you, anybody, escpecially newbie, could panic in similar situation and I see no shame in it. So if you want to blame somebody, you should rather blame Hawkmoth. Thank to use Cataclysm the building in flames collapsed, hopefully with nobody innocent inside that building. That way spread of arson was decelerated."  
"Thank you, sir!" said Chat Noir. "Tigresse checked place for case, to avoid any innocent to be harmed and she found nobody there. Unfortunatelly, shortly after I left that building, we discovered no clues to where and how Hawkmoth escaped. On news we found, that akuma known as 'Volpina' whooped it up with spaceship full of Aliens. Rena Rouge used her Mirage to create another starship, just full of Klingons. We though, that way nobody with common sense would believe, these extraterrestrials are true. Well, I suspect, common sense is not that much of common…"  
Some of newsworkers were visibly offended by Chat's words, but he laughted aloud, seeing their elongated faces…  
"So for now, all we can say, Mayura is somewhere out there," said Chat Noir pensively. "We have no idea about her motivation, nor identity."  
"Armand Claudy, Le Parisien. Is she really woman?" asked one journalist.  
"Well, we didn't cath her to check for being REALLY sure," said Chat Noir with wicked smirk. "But from observation I could confirm, she's either really woman, or a really persuasive transvestite. She's for sure somehow connected with Hawkmoth, maybe member of family, mistress, or maybe his employee. Unfortunatelly we have no clue to motivation of any of both main villains, what's not helpful, if we wish to find their identity."  
"If you don't know anything, why are you even here?" asked Prefect Clouseau. "To waist time of these good people…"  
"They're journalists, no good people," said Chat Noir. "We're here now because Mayor Burgeois asked us to come and we decided to accept for once. As we're quite busy with our duties, so we decided to pick out Queen Bee to be our press secretary and PR manager. Her identity as Chloé Burgeois is anyway public secret and she appreciates being in publicity. So she could be the perfect choice for that. If you'd wish in future some interview or another help from us, contact her and be really nice to her. She's authorized to cease requests from the public or from press…"  
"That's IMPOSSIBLE!" screamed Alec Cataldi. "She's known for being biased…"  
"Well, you can consider me as biased too," said Chat Noir. "I think, you're just such pain in ass, Alec. One of our demands is, if anybody wants interview with Paris heroes, do NOT send Alec Cataldi there!"  
Newshounds started gabble over each other.  
"Fine, since you have no more questions…" started Ladybug.  
"Are you and Chat Noir couple?" asked Nadja Chamack obligatory question.  
"That's our business," answered Ladybug. "That's irrelevant…"  
As protests from journalists aggravated, Chat Noir made wide grin into TV-camera and made his usual two-fingers salute:  
"Have a meowelous day, all of you!"  
With that all group escaped from scene…

XXXXXXX

On rooftop close to the place they dismissed. Chloé returned to Le Grand Paris, Alya with Nino back to Nino place and Master Fu asked Marinette with Adrien, to meet with him Kagami's mother.  
"I owe to you, Kagami," he said. "I was unable to do anything for Adrien's mother, but maybe I could something for your mother, at least I'd try to check her blindness. I may need help from Tikki for that."  
"That's really kind from you, Master Fu," said Kagami. "But my mother is blind quite a long time and it would need more, than just common miracle to heal it…"

XXXXXXX

Chloé observed news in her room, when somebody knocked. As she expected Butler Jean, she opened with:  
"Yes Jean-Claude?"  
"Sorry Miss Burgeois, none of us is Jean-Claude," answered one of two 'ostentatiously inconspicios men. "We are from DGSI* and we need to talk."  
(*DGSI – Direction générale de la sécurité intérieure – The General Directorate for Internal Security – French secret service for home affairs)

TO BE CONTINUED…


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39)

"Secret Service?" asked Chloé. "The only governmental organization really hearing your voice!" she said with smirk. "I guess, you are 'J'," she pointed on younger of both agents. "So you must be 'K'."  
It was a moment, when Butler Jean came.  
"Jean-Claude," Chloé spoke quickly to prevent butler to be frightened off by both agents. "Ask my father to call doctor Bornish. These two gentlemen are from Secret Service. I think, I'll need lawyer soon."  
Butler Jean nodded and moved quicker, than one would expect.  
Chloé turned back to both agents:  
"There are two of you here, so you can talk together as much, as you wish."  
"Miss Burgeois, you're skating on thin ice," said older agent.  
"Pollen, what do you think, could you knock out both these gentlemen?" asked Chloé.  
Her kwami appeared out of blue.  
"For sure, my queen," small kwami saluted to Chloé. "Now?"  
"Maybe later," smirked Chloé. "Now speak you two. What do you need?"  
"We came just to make a deal," said younger agent. "You have magical powers…"  
"And access to other heroes with another powers," added older agent. "Would you consider work for DGSI. Unofficially. As freelancers…"  
"So no attempt to confiscate my Miraculous?" teased Chloé.  
"We'd rather prefer silent unofficial agreement with whole your little group," said older agent. "You'd help us with some well… special cases and in case of problems we'd deny any cooperation with you at all."  
"But on the other hand, we can do some quid pro quo," smiled younger agent. "Off course later, just AFTER you do job for us."  
"Better cooperate, Miss Burgeois!" said older agent cautionary tone. "You're not a type, who's able to escape and live on your own being on run. Explain the others things."  
"And do your best to convince them to cooperate," younger agent did two-fingers salute. "Have a nice day, Miss Burgeois. Don't tell any other, than other Miraculous holders or your lawyer. Doctor Bornish is wise man, we know him. He'll explain things maybe better, than one of us. We'll contact you soon again…"

XXXXXXX

Luka hit his TV with his shoe, observing wide teethy grin of Chat Noir. Luka's arsebumps were still in pain thanks to asskicking Chat gave him last evening…

XXXXXXX

Three heroes together with Master Guardian sneaked through balcony door into Tsurugi's apartment. They were 'welcomed' by Tomoe Tsurugi, who kept her katana both-handed, pointing to Chat Noir.  
"Mother!" shrieked Tigresse.  
"Kagami!" nodded Tomoe. "I heard news. So you approved yourself, exactly as I expected. I'm really very proud of you."  
"You should be," said Master Fu. "You raised her well."  
"WHOM you are?" asked Tomoe. "Even my blind eyes can see light emited from you."  
"I'm Weng Fu. I'm Miraculous Guardian."  
When Tomoe came to her knees, Master Fu prevented her from kneeling.  
"You should never again end on your knees," said Master Fu. "At least not voluntarily. I cannot promise you anything, but let me try, if there is a chance for healing your blindness."  
"I would be honored, but I lost my hope long ago."  
"OK, Ladybug, would you agree let Tikki to test Madame Tsurugi's eyes?"  
"Sure, Tikki, spots of!"  
Red kwami ofcreation started gnawing bisquit.  
Tomoe Tsurugi produced silk bandanna from her pocket. Not touching the blade by bare skin she changed the grip in order to hand it to somebody else.  
"Kagami, my daughter, be so kind and put 'Cloud Breaker' back on its place!"  
"Sure mother!" Kagami made bow and accepted katana. She placed long sword to place of honor on wall near to home altar.  
It was strange to observe blind woman, whose white eyes were focused on Tikki.  
"Who are you in reality, little Janjanbi*?" she asked. "Honor to meet you, Tikki, I'm Tomoe Tsurugi."  
(*atmospheric ghost light in japan folklore)  
"I'm kwami, granting power of Creation," said Tikki. "Now try not to move, I'll check your eyes, whether could I do something or not."  
Tikki phasing into Tomoe's head looked scary a bit. When she left, she shook her head:  
"I'm sorry Tomoe, there's nothing I could do, I'm really so sorry."  
"I expected that," answered blind woman stoically.  
Master Fu got with his gong same failure.  
"I'm really sorry for giving idle hopes…"  
"Same was with medics, so no need to feel bad, Master Guardian," said Tomoe.  
With that they dismissed and Ladybug with Chat Noir, now as Marinette with Adrien they returned back to Dupain-Cheng Bakery.  
"You're quite a rascal!" said Sabine with smile.  
"Those presstitutes made me really angry," growled Adrien a bit.  
"Don't be mad for them too much, son," said Tom. "Anyway, you fooled them with total shit of information and they bought it, as I understood from TV-news. Not that I want to expel you from here, you're welcomed here any time. But boy, I think, you should check your father, whether he continues with intrigues against your interests…"  
Truth to be said, it was dark outside, the evening was coming, so Adrien agreed:  
"Have a good night here! Marinette, may I use your skylight?"  
"Sure Kitty, see you soon!"  
"OK, Plagg! Claws out!" As Chat Noir again he moved to Marinette's room and through skylight he left for next rooftop…

XXXXXXX

Near Agreste Manor Chat Noir moved into hidden alley and there he detransformed and fed Plagg. As Adrien he entered through main entrance and hurried to his bodyguard to return him confiscated pistol. Etiene, the Gorilla, checked the chamber, sniffed, whether somebody shot from gun (nobody recently) and re-counted cartridges in magazine. A second later he nodded.  
"Are they in dinning room?" asked Adrien and bodyguard nodded. "Thanks, have peaceful night!"  
Both Natalia and Gabriel were nibbling small treats from metal plate.  
"Good evening!" Adrien surprised them a bit by coming quite soon. "How was lunch?"  
"Tasty," his father was brief.  
"Not bad," said Nathalie. "One paparazzi made our photos, so something will probably appear in Monday Newspapers…"  
"Good," appreciated Adrien and helped himself with one canapé.  
"Didn't you have dinner with Dupain-Chengs?" asked Gabriel.  
"It should be named rather lunch, or maybe nosh-up," agreed Adrien. "I probably ate more, that was wise for me."  
"If there is any narcotic in this food, I'd not allowed you to use his Miraculous," furious Plagg flyied from his hiding place like a jack-in-the-box.  
"Do't worry!" said Gabriel. "In fact I should thank to you all."  
"You definitively should," agreed Plagg.  
"So…" asked Adrien.  
"So," answered his father with strange smirk. "You were right Adrien. I should see it sooner."  
"Thank you Adrien," said Nathalie.  
"Fine," nodded Adrien. "I hope, you're good with me continuing name you Nathalie. Mum or mother seems to me as inappropriate."  
"Sure, Adrien," Nathalie smiled, what totally disconcerted tired boy. "Changes will be slow and will look ordinarily and casually, exactly as you suggested."  
"Perfect," smirked Adrien and ate two more canapés. "Have a good night and please, invite for your wedding also Dupain-Cheng family."  
"Don't worry Adrien," Nathalie fixed eye contact with him. "We'll get married before Christmas, but not right tomorrow. There will be a plenty of time to arrange everything."  
Adrien nodded and turned to leave.  
"Not so hurry, son," said Gabriel. "We watched TV-news. You did things better, that I could even hope. Just one demur. From now, remember, you must simply NEVER reveal your identity, or press would crucify you without slightest mercy. You made that nitwit Cataldi your personal foe. He deserved that, but he for sure didn't appreciate that…"  
"Sure father, good night," smiled Adrien and left the dinning room.

XXXXXXX

In his bedroom he felt strangely. He was tired, but he was so excited from everything, that he was simply unable to rest. On google he found page about keeping butterflies and decided to go search for some caterpillars or chrysalises for professor Lefebvre. In garden he cut several roses and made a small bouquet from them. Adrien placed it next to his mother's 'tomb'. Several plastic jars with small holes were placed there and Adrien grabbed one of them.  
"Sweet dreams, mum," he whispers with a few tears.  
In bushes he found eleven chrysalises and he placed them into 'confiscated' jar. Professor could easily study akumas without need to use battered butterflies caught by Ladybug's yo-yo. Adrien placed there some leaves of bushes, just for safety of chrysalises during transport.  
Back in his room, after shower, he sat at piano and started prelude. Plagg ate good dose of Camembert and now he lazily observed boy in pajama…

XXXXXXX

Marinette opened big sportbag and placed there some spare clothing, pajamas, and lingeries. Tikki observed her with amused smile:  
"Are you moving to Adrien's place?"  
"Maybe," said Marinette and added pink landlong 'princessian' gown.  
She jawned and moved to shower. When she closed her eyes, she observed again collapsing building with Adrien inside. She shivered, in spite of warm, almost hot water.  
Marinette helter-skelter dried herself and hurried to her phone. She painfully needed to check her Kitty right now…  
"The person you are calling is unavailable," said computer voice from her phone.  
"Marinette!" shrieked her kwami. "Don't panic! His phone is probably just switched off. NO! You must not abuse your pow…"  
"Maybe…" agreed girl. "But I need to know right NOW! Tikki! Spots on!"

XXXXXXX

Adrien's preluding was stopped by knock on his window. Ladybug with big sportbag a bit surprised him, but it was kind of best surprises.  
"M'lady!" he invited her happily. "I'm so glad to have you here."  
As gentleman he accepted the sportbag first, placed it on table and helped girl in.  
Adrien kept Ladybug in bearhug, elevating her, so her legs were in air. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him.  
Boy was unsure, how log time it was, he just knew, he wanted more, but Ladybug cut the kiss and whispered into his ears:  
"Can I use your wardrobe?"  
Adrien winked several times.  
"Why?"  
Ladybug opened her sportbag to show him.  
"Right," he nodded. "Let's go for it."  
He removed part of his clothing from wardrobe to his bed and the rest he re-arranged, so half of wardrobe and half of drawers there became empty. When Ladybug, pretty quickly, using enhanced power, placed all her things there, Adrien used empty sportbag and placed his own thing there.  
"I think, it's fair that way," he said with smirk on her inquiring look.  
Adrien moved to her for another hug and kiss, but Ladybug had another plans. She made few steps back and asked:  
"Tikki! Spots off!"  
Adrien in shock observed, she is nude…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40)

Adrien felt his mouth and throat dried, he just stood and stared on Mrinette in complete stupor for a while…  
"Seems, you broke him!" giggled Tikki.  
Marinette looked on her kwami in confusion.  
"Kitty just needs heave his lower jaw up from floor!" laughed Plagg.  
Adrien winked several time. He moved his lips, but no word was formed, as his brain was on idle. Finally he smiled wide…  
"Marinette…" it was just a whisper.  
She looked on his lower part under abdomen.  
"Seems to me, you really LIKE, what you see…" she said mischievously.  
"Problem of males," Plagg smirked really ugly and laughed. "They could have perfectly functionous brain, but not enough blood in system to run both brain AND dick!"  
Marinette moved to Adrien and hugged him.  
"Breathe!" she whispered into his ear. "For me! In and out!"  
"He's for another in and out!" Plagg laughed almost hysterically.  
Marinette placed Adrien's hands on her waists and started unbutton his pajama.  
"What girl wants to have, girl MUSTS do it herself!" she muttered.  
In that moment Adrien finally 'restarted' and pulled her to kiss.  
"You're gorgeous, beautiful, fantastic cute…" he babbled sotto voce.  
Marinette pushed him a little bit aside, keeping his shoulders fast and giving him overall evaluating look.  
"Well, you look not that bad yourself!" she joked.  
"If you want, we could allow you 'copulate' while being transformed," informed Plagg with unbelivably wide grin. "We do it quite often in fact, am I right, Sugar Cube?"  
"For our first time I want it to be just Marinette and me, if she REALLY wants today," said silently Adrien, who finally found his voice somewhere. "Your offer we could use another day, Plagg, way thank you."  
"That's fine, Kitty," Marinette kept him close and kissed his neck. "Accoring my calendar today and tomorrow are my infertile days. But for future I expect YOU to buy condoms, I believe you're not that stupid kind of boyfriend, who sends his girlfriend to buy IT."  
"For sure NOT," said Adrien.  
He imagined his multiple fans observing him buying condoms and laughed a bit.  
"It WILL be a capital joke!"  
"And Adrien, whatever you remember from manga is total nonsense!" laughed Plagg.  
Tikki clogged his mouth with her paw and dragged him away, into bathroom.  
"So were you a good Kitty?" asked girl cuddly.  
"I'm always the best Kitty you could only imagine!" Adrien was affectionate. "But, are you sure, you want IT right NOW?"  
"YOU don't want that?" asked Marinette, faking confuse.  
"More, than anything I could imagine," said Adrien, serious in a moment. "But I also wish to spend rest of my life with you and I don't want you to be disappointed or angry, I could wait."  
"We could," agreed Marinette. "But I don't want to."  
She cupped his cheeks, making him to lean to her into kiss. Three or four minutes later she left him breathless for a moment. She jumped away and opened door into bathroom.  
"Tikki, Plagg, come here!"  
When both kwami observed her, she made strange smile:  
"We'll have a race. To the top of Eiffel Tower and back here," she explained. "Who will be first back here, will be also first on the top, if you understand me. Tikki! Spots on!"  
Ladybug yo-yoed away.  
Plagg flyied to Adrien face:  
"What the heck are you waiting for?!"  
"I want her to win," smiled Adrien. "If I'm on top of her, I'd hardly let her interrupt, if she, well, you know…"  
"That's sweet…" flyied Plagg on him. "But if you let her win too demonstrative, she'd be offended, like you don't appreciate her compettiveness."  
"You're right," nodded Adrien. "Plagg! Claws out!"  
Chat Noir did his best to catch up Ladybug, but he was too late to cut her head start. Near top of Eiffel Tower she playfully flicked his bell, when passing him on way down.  
On way back he was just three or four meters after her and he almost caught her. But she was the first on bed.  
"OK, little Kitty," she said playfully. "Detransform and lay on your back!"  
"Plagg! Claws in!"  
"Tikki! Spots off!"  
Marinette kneeled down, with her legs around his waists, but she did not allow him in yet. From first kiss just normal on lips they both continued, making their best to kiss ear or neck of each other. Once there was visible reaction, they repeated kisses. None of them was experienced, so they just tried, what could work. Contrary to porn cliché they did without moaning or groaning, just with some whisper. The only, what Adrien found to fit, was perceptiveness of her breasts, especially of nipples. After some sixty-nine (too short for Adrien to be satisfied in fact) Marinette moved herself and let Adrien in, 'hunting' him into kiss. That moment was evidently painful. She clenched her jaws and almost grinded her teeth.  
"Marinette, should I stop?" asked foolishly silent Adrien.  
"No you cluck!" said girl. "Just hold me fast!"  
Few a bit painful contractions later she relaxed. In his eyes it was too deep relax, rather kind of 'La petite mort', it scared Adrien almost to his own collaps. He slowly and carefully moved to keep her in bridal style and arised from his bed. He, slowly and carefully again, reached bathroom. This time he was really grateful for having his own bathroom with easy and short access from his bedroom.  
Thankfully Marinette came around before Adrien was able to use cold water shower on her body…  
"You scared me," said Adrien silently, before placing kiss on her cheek. "I was worried I hurted you."  
"Don't worry, Minou. I'm not made from glass," she smiled. "You're bloodstained," she commented, when observing his body.  
"That's your blood," he said what was obvious, feeling really nervous.  
"I know pretty well. It still keeps pain. In fact more, than I expected," Marinette seemed to be surprised.  
"Maybe… warm shower…" offered Adrien.  
"Sure… shower…" said Marinette. "Together?" she questioned with smile.  
"Yes, please," his words were hardly more aloud, than just breathing.  
Intimate moments being togeth with warm water shower were splendid. Adrien hoped that for both of them. They attempted for round two, but in shower it was not so easy and their lack of skill and experience caused they failed with it…  
Marinette started giggling, it was uncontrollable.  
"Adrien, you look adorable, when pouting!" she giggled even more and moved to him to tickle him.  
All what Adrien was able to do was keep Marinette in bearhug. As her skin was wet, it was really not that easy. Small competition, who would dominate ended, when Adrien finally grabbed her again into bridal 'grip'.  
"Don't fight M'lady!" he warned. "You could slip out on floor."  
Marinette might be clumpsy, but right now she slipped from grip just to thrust Adrien to wall and she used her legs to encircle his hips. She used her weight as encumbrance, keeping him immobile. She cupped his cheeks and kept him in kiss. None of them was sure, how long they stayed that way…  
"That was… errr… something…" all Adrien was able to say that moment.  
"Fine," said Marinette and moved her fingers into Adrien's hair. "Now… towels…"  
"That way," moved Adrien his head.  
Back in bedroom they check bed for blood stains, but they found no one.  
"Nice, you kept us well," appreciated Marinette. "I don't know, how about you, but I'd wish to sleep right now…"  
"In hug?" asked Adrien with pleading look. "Pretty please!"  
"Sure, Kitty," agreed Marinette. "You're really like a cat."  
She layed her head on his chest and tried to scratch his neck just to hear him purr…  
"That's adorable," she proclaimed and fel asleep in a second.  
All what Adrien was able to do now, was cover them both with blanket and fel asleep himself…  
"He didn't give me MY Camembert and now he dared to sleep!" Plagg was grumpy, till Tikki brought him piece of stinky cheese.  
"Help me with this pillow!" she asked Plagg. "I'll not sleep in stinky socks like you!"  
"And may I snuggle up to you?" kwami of Destruction asked.  
"If you shut up!" answered Tikki.  
Rest of night was uneventful in Agreste Manor…

XXXXXXX

Alya was almost sleeping, when her phone beeped aloud.  
"What's that?" asked Nino, who was woken from shallow sleep too.  
"Somebody posted new video on LadyBlog," said Alya, naked, just with pair of glasses on her eyes.  
"You must see it!" Alya said and gave Nino his pair of glasses. "They look adorable!"  
Video was from race between Ladybug and Chat Noir. It was pretty evident, they had some 'pre-mating' ritual of kind.  
"Children grow so fast!" said Nino and shortly laughed. "Who hunts on whom?"  
"Good question," agreed Alya and removed his glasses away. "Ready for round three?"

XXXXXXX

"We may start slowly, if you wish that," said Gabriel and hugged Nathalie. "If you wish so, we needn't hear Adrien's demands as orders."  
They were in his bedroom. All photos of Emilie were removed and room seemed to be empty right now.  
"And what do YOU want, Gabriel?" Nathalie observed him with unusually peaceful expression on her face.  
"I wish to know," Agreste senior admitted silently. "I wish to know. And quite a big part of my mind wants to obey his demands…"  
"There's no real obstackle, Gabriel. No real obstackle…"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41)

"Marinette is not in her room!" Tom was upset. "She even didn't sleep there this night."

"Try to guess, where could she be?" Sabine was calm. "You may guess three times."

"Do you mean?" Tom stopped himself. "Do you mean THERE?"

"Where else?" asked his wife. "I checked her wardrobe and there lot of her clothing is missing. So I believe, she moved some of her things to his place. Do you want to bet about her reasons?"

"That's futile," said Tom. "Easy guess. In fact too easy. But I believe, we should better check, whether we're right, shouldn't we?"

"Right, let's go!" Sabine though, it was almost too easy.

XXXXXXX

Nathalie woke up being in hug with Gabriel.

"So it was not a dream?" asked Gabriel.

"Definitivelly not a dream," nodded Nathalie. "Do you regret it?"

"I'm glad," Adrien's father was lost in thoughs. "Maybe I'd better do it two years sooner!"

"That way you possibly wouldn't have Marinette as perspective daughter-in-law," Nathalie was even in intimate situation able to think rationally and calculate. "Past is past."

It was moment, when door-ring started its noise.

Nathalie grabbed her tablet and opened view to security camera.

"Sabine and Tom, Dupain-Chengs are here," commented Gabriel. "Do you think the same as I think?"

"If it means, Miss Dupain-Cheng is in Adrien's bedroom and almost for sure not decently dressed, I agree," smirked Nathalie.

Gabriel though, Nathalie smiles too scarcely, and it is a shame. He dressed bathrobe and moved to entrance door. The Gorilla was there with sleepy face, but ready for action.

"OK Etienne," Gabriel said. "I don't want black-eye, could you please open to them?"

Bodyguard nodded and opened the entrance.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cheng, Mr. Dupain," said Gabriel. "Nice from you to come…"

"Anything, Gabriel," Tom almost growled and stormed inside. "Is Marinette here?"

"Honestly, TOM," said Gabriel, who made two steps back and waved on bodyguard to let Marinette's parents in. "I don't know, you just woke me up…"

That was moment, when Nathalie appeared, looking as usual, a little bit androidic-like assistant with tablet in her hand.

"Adrien's bedroom is locked from inside," she said. "I don't have a key. His phone is not functionous and phone of Miss Dupain-Cheng is probably on silent mode, as nobody answers it. I could either invite locksmith, as his room has fortificated door and even you two with Etienne together would not be able to open it violently. Or I could ask Mr. Lahiffe to use his quadrocopter to 'knock' on his window."

Sabine smiled and wordlessly she offered to everybody croissants from their bakery.

"I guess, Nathalie," she said. "Calling Nino would be wisest choice now. It would avoid photos with them in delicate situation to go public. None of us for sure wishes that."

"Excuse me for a moment," asked Gabriel. "I just redress myself into something more casual, the photoshoot is to start in less, than two hours."

"Gabe, you're the boss here, you could ask photographer to make photos a bit later," Tom smacked jovially Gariel's shoulder.

"Better not… Tom…" Gabriel decided not to lose his composure. His son most likely just deflorated this man's only daughter, so naming him ignorant or demanding for some more respect would be really unwise, especially after yesterday revelation of Hawkmoth and Mayura. "According Vincent the best light for photoshots is either in the morning before noon, or close to nightfall. And he prefers morning. Maybe he's just a really morning person."

Nathalie dialed Nino's number. His phone rang quite a long time, till he answered.

"Nino Lahiffe, what's up?"

"Mr. Lahiffe, Nathalie Sancoeur speaking. We'd appreciate, if you could come here, please. Ideally with your quadrocopter. I believe it was repaired by Miraculous Ladybugs."

"Is it an emergency?" asked Nino. "Gosh, it's just half past seven Sunday morning!"

"Well, it's kind of emergency," explained Nathalie. "We believe, Adrien is with Miss Dupain-Cheng in his bedroom, but the door is locked from inside and they don't react on phone. The photoshot is soon to start."

"Sounds like an emergency," agreed Nino. "OK. Expect us in thirty minutes. May I ask for a breakfast on your place? Well… breakfast for two?"

"I'll manage it," promissed Nathalie.

"Fine, see you," said Nino and ended phone call immediatelly, causing Nathalie a bit discomfiture.

In that moment Gabriel returned. He was cleanshaved and his 'casual' was his usual dark grey three-piece business suit with necktie and patent shoes…

"Gabriel, could you wait here for a moment, I should arrange some breakfast for quadrocopter operator…" asked his assistant.

"Nonsense, Nathalie," said Sabine. "I have here enough croissants and other pastries from our bakery, enough for all presumptive guests I strongly believe."

XXXXXXX

When both Alya and Nino get quickly dressed, Nino's mother called:

"If you are not much in a hurry, I have breakfast also for Alya."

"Mothers always know," said Alya. "I snaked inside doing my best not to be observed, but she's more observant, than we both thought."

"Do you think, she knows?" asked Nino sotto voce. "I speak about, well… our fox and turtle things…"

"You could ask, but it would be the same, like reveal us…" smirked Alya.

"Sorry mum," Nino opened door and answered. "We need hurry to Adrien. I's emergency."

"Will you go by Metro, or in costume?" asked Nino's mother. "Just being curious…"

"OK," said Alya. "Mrs. Lahiffe, can you keep a secret?"

"Off course, Alya."

"So can we both," answered Alya, what cause Nino's mother uncontrollable laughter…

XXXXXXX

In same moment, when Rena Rouge and Carapace reached Agreste Manor, Burgeois limousine arrived there too.

"Thank you, Jean-Claude," said Chloé. "Could you wait for us? I hope not for too long."

"No promises," said Kagami. "Hard to say, how quickly Mr. Agreste is able to think during soon Sunday morning."

"You're right, Miss Tsurugi, thank you," agreed butler Jean. "I have a book to read."

Chloé turned to Kagami, who pointed to main entrance of Agreste Manor.

Rena Rouge and Carapace sneaked into garden.

"Wayzz! Shell off!" asked Carapace.

"Could we meet under Adrien's window?" as Nino he dialed Nathalie.

Chloé with Kagami observed Marinette's parents together with Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie still Sancoeur moving quickly into garden.

"Let's follow them!" said Kagami.

"Do you think…" started Chloé.

"I don't have enough information for thinking, but I believe, Marinette finally claimed her possession of Adrien using most natural way to do that."

"You mean…" Chloé gulped. "You REALLY mean, Adrikins slept with her?"

"Don't be such a baby!" recommended Kagami. "WARRIOR must accept inevitability."

"Right now I feel tired to be warrior all that time…" lamented Chloé.

Kagami silently hugged her for comfort both of them.

"I would myself also prefer Adrien be with me," Japanese girl sadly smirked. "Well, better Marinette, than Lila The Great Liar."

"OK," sighed Chloé. "That's true."

Nino's quadrocopter was already in air and Nino guided it to see into Adrien's bedroom.

"So?" asked both Tom and Gabriel.

"They are both in one tangle, hard to say, whose hand belong to whom," said Nino with amused smirk, looking into quadrocopter console display. "I'll try to knock…"

His quadrocopter made two punches into window. I was relatively silent noise.

"I have more effective way," said Rena Rouge and used her flute. "Mirage!"

They heard Alya's voice from inside of room.

"GET UP! RIGHT NOW!"

XXXXXXX

Adrien was just happy. In his dream they had a picnic in rose garden. He felt warmth of Marinette's body cuddled up to him.

Alya appeared out of blue and started screeming…

Adrien winked several times his eyes just to recognize, he is in his bed, nude and nude Marinette was REALLY cuddled up to him.

What was a really disturbing element was Alya, who stand near his bed and screamed on him. Strange was fact, she looked rather towards entry to his bathroom. Maybe she did not want to see his and/or Marinette's nudity.

"GET UP! RIGHT NOW!"

Adrien subtly shook with Marinette, but she resolutely refused open her eyes and hanged on him. Before he was able to shake with her again, Alya yelled again.

Marinette stared on her in consternation.

Slowly levitating Plagg appeared from somewhere and slowly moved to Alya, yawning loudly.

"Shut up!" demanded kwami of Destruction and touched Alya, who disappeared.

"Only Mirage," said Plagg giving short sigh. "I need MY Camembert! I need it NOW!"

Adrien's kwami moved to window.

"What a shame, kwamies are invisible on camera," he pointed on quadrocopter spying them through window glass. "As pigtails' parents are here, I recommend you to wear something. Welcoming father of your mistress with your dick pendulating free in the wind is quite unwise, I really think."

"Is he such… well… how to say it… often?" asked Marinette.

"All the time," said Adrien and Tikki unison.

But Adrien decided better to wear boxers, before opening window.

"Good morning!" he said with his sweet model smile on his face. "Good morning, all of you!"

Tom elevated his left eyebrow and made really angry face, Sabine on the other hand threw him two croissants wordlessly. Adrien was surprised, but caught both of them.

"Adrien, have a shower and have also a shave!" ordered his father.

"Yes, father, but why?" boy did not understand.

"My beard usually grows faster after having sex," said Gabriel. "I believe, it's genetical attribute, so you'll need to anticipate that also."

Nathalie gestured towards main entry and all that group standing on turf moved there.

Adrien sighed and turned to Marinette, to give her one croissant. She wored his shirt on nude body and she looked damn hot that way. He was unsure, whether it is ritual of kind, but it was almost cliché, girl wearing her lover's shirt...

"You look so beautiful!" he said sotto voce and offered her croissant. "From your mum…"

"Thanks, but, please, may I use your shower as first?" Marinette made puppy eyes.

"Sure," nodded Adrien. "You know, I'd do anything for you right now."

After several minutes he heard hammering on his door, so he opened it, blocking entry to bathroom.

Tom stormed inside like a deluge. Adrien needed all his courage to make a step towards him and not run away. On Tom's heels were Sabine with Alya and Nino. Alya, if not having ears, would smile probably around whole her head…

"Nice to have you all here…" Adrien tried to be perfect host, but it was zero chance.

Tom grabbed him in hug and immediately whispered (loudly enough for everybody to hear it) into his ear:

"Break her heart and I'll break ALL of your bones!"

Gorilla grabbed Tom's right trapezius and pressed nerve ending under it, causing enormous pain to big man. When Tom turned to him, Gorilla shook his head.

"That was a dirty trick!" said Tom.

Gorilla smiled and nodded. He showed to one chair in Adrien's bedroom. Tom helped his wife to sit at table and sat himself. In that moment Marinette reappeared, towel wrapped around her hair. She was again in Adrien's shirt, but now with bra and panties.

"Your shift, Adrien," she gestured towards bathroom entrance.

Adrien disappeared so quickly, that biased observer could name it escape. Minute or two later Nathalie entered with two suit-bags. One she placed on Adrien's bed, second she offered to Marinette:

"Miss Dupain-Cheng, would you agree to cooperate during today photoshoot? I mean as model."

"Do you really want ME to model Gabriel's together with Adrien?" Marinette seemed to be surprised.

"As Adrien quite strongly demanded on your being involved in his activities, and as you should be in near future a member of 'the inner ring', I would appreciate, as let's name it goodwill… if you do your part of work too."

"Not without us," it was Kagami, who stormed inside, with Chloé on her heels.

"I go to Mr. Agreste to inform him, that we'll have two more potential model girls," Nathalie glanced on both girls, but smiled and nodded. "Especially contrast between Miss Burgeois and Miss Dupain-Cheng should look well on photos, I believe…"

Nathalie gestured to chairs.

Kagami cocked her head, observing Marinette.

"Should we congratulate?" question was more playful, than one would expect from Japanese girl.

"How do you mean it?" asked confused Marinette. She did her best to eat her croissant quickly but understated.

"It's quite obvious, why you're here right now," Kagami gave amused smirk. "Are you going to deny that?"

"Deny what?!" asked Marinette, making fake innocent face.

Sabine and Alya bursted into laughter, Tom looked angry and Nino covered his face, probably to avoid laughing same as is his girlfriend or maybe to avoid seeing almost nude Marinette, what could later result in angry Alya. Chloé shared look with Kagami and they both shook their heads.

"Such a hypocrite," said Chloé. "Looking for this bed, one doesn't need to be CSI expert to KNOW."

Adrien wearing bathrobe peeped inside of his room just to grab suit-bag from his bed and quickly 'evacuated' himself back to bathroom.

"So, what father wants me to wear…" said Adrien and looked inside of suit-bag.

To his surprise, it was 'Black on more of Black'. Black and white striped T-shirt looked more like for a prisoner, than for a navyman. Black shirt was with big 'Jolly Roger' on back and smaller one on pocket. On several places were silver studs and chains, on other places patches made from maybe even darker black leather. Same could be said about dark black trousers...

"Does your father think that you're Robert Surcouf or what?" asked Plagg.

"Hard to say," shrugged Adrien his shoulders. "Maybe he plans to expose me publically as Chat Noir."

"Don't think so," said Plagg. "Most people didn't recognize true even when you actally wore Chat's costume. Maybe he wants fleece biker gangsters manipulating them to buy his overpriced suits."

"Bingo, I guess," laughed Adrien.

"Will you wear it or keep staring on it?" asked Marinette, who stormed inside with her suit bag. "Nathalie asked me to be your partner model, maybe you will partner on photos even with Chloé and Kagami."

"Chloé and Kagami here?" Adrien shook his head. "Let's name it 'a day'!"

But he wore all prepared things and observed Marinette, who wore off his shirt and checked black shirtwaist, also with silver studs and chains, arranged to accentuate her boobs. Dark black skinny jeans were shortened to show more, than half of her calfs. There were patches of dark black leather, similar to those on Adrien's trousers. Marinette observed herself in a mirror.

"I can't go public in it!" she sighed.

"Nonsense!" protested Adrien. "You look gorgeous in it!"

"You'd say that I look gorgeous even in potato bag now," smirked Marinette. "But it's nice from you to say it."

"So let's show ourselves!" encouraged Adrien not only Marinette, but also himself.

They left his bathroom hand in hand. Alya shrieked by good joy.

"I appreciate quickness you both wore," said Nathalie, who returned with two more suit bags. "Miss Cesaire, I will need your signature on oath of silence. Same I will need from all of you but Adrien, who is involved for a long time. You will be allowed to make photos, said Mr. Agreste senior. But these photos you must keep out of public eye till Wednesday, when campaign is to start. Will you agree with this arrangement?"

"We will," said Sabine serious tone and silenced Alya's protest by sharp gesture.

"Fine," nodded Nathalie.

"Nathalie, say Mr. Agreste to come here!" said Chloé. "It's important, there's something I need to tell all of you."

"OK, we'll be here in a few minutes," to everybody's surprise Nathalie agreed without fight. "You and Miss Tsurugi could use that time and wear your 'costume' for photoshot too."

With that she left.

"Johnny Silver?" asked Tom with wide smile, pointing on 'Jolly Roger' on Adrien's shirt pocket.

"Maybe rather Blackbeard, coming from that colour," said Sabine.

"Maman, what do you think, can I wear THIS for photoshot?" asked Marinette.

"After THIS night yes, for sure," answered Sabine. "It suits you in fact, surprisingly well."

That was a moment for Chloé and Kagami to left Adrien's bathroom. Chloé's outfit looked like that Marinette's, well, with a lower cut and more accented boobs. Kagami wore something derived from traditional kimono, in combination of red and black colour, with a big picture of red rose on her back. Adrien caught himself by surprising idea, that without his love to Marinette he would chose Kagami right now. She probably caught his glance and gave him a bit seductive smile, what surprised Adrien, who gave a groan, when Marinette hit his ribs by her elbow. When he turned his glance to her, she grabbed collard of his shirt and moved him closer:

"You're mine! Remember it!"

"Sure, M'lady!"

Marinette moved him, so she could kiss his forehead.

"Well, that's one of postures I want to have on photos during this photoshot," commented Gabriel, who managed to come that moment into Adrien's bedroom. "What is so important, that my presence is required so inevitably, Chloé?"

"Well, Gabriel," Chloé decided not to let him have upper hand. "Yesterday evening I have an unexpected visit. From Secret Service..."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's note: As Coronavirus infection became really serious pandemy, the reasonable carefulness is reccommended. Do not kiss person with unknown epidemic history and later do not have a sex with person potencially infected by HIV...


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42)

"What did they want?" asked Gabriel much less jovial tone now.

"How do you know, they sent more, than one person?" asked Chloé.

"Secret Service works similar way, as Police," answered Gabriel. "So they for sure sent at least two agents to interrogate you."

"Right," nodded Chloé. "They asked me to convince you to accept working for Secret Service, doing dirty work for them, without being officially their coworkers..."

"Not so silly," said Gabriel. "Acting like me, when I was Hawkmoth..."

"None of you must do it!" said Adrien. "Hawkmoth was MY father, so it's MY resonsibility to PAY for it!"

"Does he do that often?" asked Kagami.

"Permanently," said Marinette, Chloé, and Plagg unison.

"What do yo mean?" demanded Adrien.

"Well, Adrien," Kagami used sympathetic, almost soft tone, which Adrien felt as almost iritating. "We all VOLUNTARILLY agreed to help. So we are in it ALL TOGETHER. One for all, all for one! So just sit DOWN and accept our help!"

Alya laughed alloud, seeing Adrien's face.

"Well, Adrien," Gabriel looked a bit sad. "I learned something as Hawkmoth. You should NOT underestimate your opponent and you would always have to pay. Every good deed will be deservedly punished. By fate, by people who are ready to abuse your philanthropy, by anything or anybody. Don't understand me wrong, please. I AM gratefull, I really AM, but your life could be possibly that much easier, if you sacrificed me and Nathalie. You would have less money, but you'd be not blackmailable that way. I promisse, I'll do my best in future..."

"We all will," said Nathalie. "But right now, you'll have to accept any help is offered to you. You made so many really good friends, I understand, it's against your persuation to benefit from their help, but there's no other way."

"OK," Adrien found his calm voice back. "Is EVERYBODY here good with that?"

"What could Secret Service need from us?" asked Tom.

"The same, what doctor Bornish asked us, I guess," explained Sabine. "Secret, discreet, quiet, and safe lace for meetings with informants, maybe even handing over with messages."

"It could be dangerous for you," said Marinette.

"Well, but that should be work for good guys," protested Tom.

"I think, you two will have most freedom to disagree," said Nathalie, pointing on Tom and Sabine. "I'd rather be thrifty, using term 'good guy'. I estimate, they're rather clerks, you could name them 'armed bureacrats'. And as usuall bureacrats do, they do their best to maximize their revard and minimize their efforts. So I estimate, they're going to demand from you such arrangement – They will find the threat, they will order you to 'neutralize' that threat and write the report about that. So in case of success, the merit will be their, in the case of failure, the guilt will be yours. How simple..."

Adrien made disgusted grimace, what caused his friends to laugh. Marinette hugged him and kissed him.

"We're in it together," she whisered into his ear.

"OK," nodded Adrien. "Back to photoshoot. Are you mad, father? Do you want to show everybody, that I'm Chat Noir?"

"I don't think anybody would observe it," Gabriel made grimace of disdaine. "People are usually totally blind. No, I'm going to fleece dupes, who will see your photos with three beautiful girls, and who would believe, if they purchase that, they will have same success like YOU have. Do you want to bet, that my new line 'Rebelious' will be lucrative?"

"No, father," Adrien shook his head. "I trust your mercantile instincts. But I'll need a bit more money in future, as we spoke about."

"Sure Adrien, it's arranged," nodded Gabriel. "I have a plea to all of you. You can make photos, but keep them out of public eyes till Wednesday. Chloé, Miss Dupain-Cheng, Miss Tsurugi, I would be honoured, if you accept designs you just wear on, as gifts. I would be grateful, if you could wear it again on Wednesday."

"Do you mean to wear THAT to SCHOOL?" asked Marinette in shock.

"Are you scared?" asked Kagami. "I hate to admit that, but you look realy great in that, together with Adrien."

"With a bit different hairstyle and some make-up, you'll look like undeniable 'femme fatale' and Chloé like 'la belle dame sans merci'," smiled Nathalie.

"Chloé actually IS 'la belle dame sans merci'!" laughed Alya.

Chloé a bit childishly sticked her tongue on Alya for that.

"OK, let's go!" finished Gabriel debate. "Vincent and make-up assistants are waiting for us!"

They finally used three cars. Gorilla drived Gabriel's limousine, with Gabriel, Nathalie, Adrien, and Marinette as passengers. His car was first, as he knew the way. Chloé's limousine was second, as she decided not to allow small Tom's car go before her. Alya and Nino were cajoled by Kagami to go with Chloé by her limousine.

As experienced Gorilla drove first car, nobody observed two shadows, following their small motorcade...

TO BE CONTINUED...


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43)

They reached place of photoshoot. Vincent had restive grimace on his face. Adrien felt Plagg swarming under his shirt, but thankfully all kwamies stayed hidden.  
"Finally!" he said. "Magnifico!" he was evidently delighted by fact, Adrien came together with three model girls. "Three bowls of spaghetti!"  
Kagami had wakizashi as well as tantō fastened on her belt, this time she had not the same weapons she had during storming Agreste Manor that Saturday. These weapons were evidently new, without any decorations or pictures, in simple light grey scabbards. Kagami unsheathed her short sword.  
"If that pimp would compare me with food once more, I'd castrate him and make him to eat it," she grumbled sotto voce, but Vincent got paled any way…  
Two young women in white overalls came from caravan to see a reason for such havoc.  
"Lucille, Nancy, nice to see you," said Nathalie. "Adrien, well, as usual. Girls, well…" she pointed on Marinette. "La Femme Fatale. Do your best." Next she pointed on Chloé. "La Belle Dame sans Merci." Finally she pointed on Kagami. "Warrior Princess. Just matte her skin, same like with Adrien."  
Both women nodded and pointed to caravan.  
Kagami frowned, but nodded and returned her wakizashi back into scabbard.  
"Special preferences?" asked brunette, who relieved herself as Lucille.  
All of them shoot their heads.  
"And you two?" redhead girl asked Alya and Nino.  
"We're here just as web-reporters," said Alya. "But our news will be this Wednesday, on Ladyblog."  
"OK, if Mr. Agreste SENIOR approved your being here, we're too low in pecking order," said Lucille. "But I'd rather prefer not to be seen on any photo-blog."  
"OK," agreed Alya.  
Few minutes later Adrien was released as first, so Vincent made some photos with him sole. He was much less jovial, than usually, some drops of sweat on his forehead showed his stress and nervousness.  
"And now show me, how you appreciate your bo… your beautiful girl date's just coming here!" Vincent pointed on Kagami, whose more simple make-up was finished first.  
It was evident, that small Italian man was uncomfortable, once some expressions were prohibited for him now. But finally he made good bunch of photos, both with Kagami and Adrien, as well as with Kagami sole.  
"Now Adrien please, kiss girl, with passion, not like you kiss your old aunt!"

XXXXXXX

"That's not me!" Marinette stared on her face in mirror in total disbelief.  
Her hair was curled and allowed freely down. With dark eye shadows she looked like quite an evil girl…  
"It's you darling," ensured her Nancy. "But in war colors."  
In moments, when Chloé observed herself, she seemed to be really self-satisfied, quite full of herself. She made several selfies, saying: "This mask I'll use sometimes. I can have a collection of broken hearts of my own."  
Chloé's hair was in Mord-Sith's style braid, allowed over her left shoulder. Her make-up in fact did not differ a lot from her usual.  
"We've create a monster!" gulped Lucille, who just ended with Chloé's hair.  
"No, she's such as long as I remember," said Marinette sotto voce, observing Chloé being not observant to others.  
"So let's go!" said Chloé commanding tone. "Adrikins waits for us!" Being closer to Marinette, Chloé whispered: "Think about it as about another mask, like Ladybug's…"

XXXXXXX

"You look perfect!" said Sabine, making Marinette's photos. "But for school better use your normal façade."

XXXXXXX

Adrien during photoshoot by photographer's orders kissed all three girls, was kissed by all of them, for some photos Vincent needed two or even all three of them to kiss their 'idol'. Now Adrien felt himself strange and he really needed some time in privacy with only Marinette.  
"And now, my beautiful girls, show, like if you want to tear your own piece of Adrien!" ordered Vincent.  
"May I use my wakizashi for that?" asked Kagami with fake innocent grimace.  
"NO WAY!" shouted Adrien in not so fake fear.  
Truth to be said, Vincent made less photos with both Marinette and Chloé, than with Kagami but in moment, when Gabriel Agreste announced lunchtime, both Marinette and Chloé seemed to be much more tired, than Japanese girl.  
"How is it possible, you even don't look tired?!" asked Chloé. "I'm gymnast and I have enough for today."  
"Easy answer," smiled Kagami. "Fencing gives you good training of musculature. As fencer you must stay in postures and watch your opponent to quickly react. I guess, Gabriel sent Adrien to train fencing primarily for that purpose."  
"True," said Gabriel. "But I also wanted to see Adrien excel in it."  
"Catering has here some Japanese," said Nathalie. "I decided so to honor Tsurugi family."  
Truth to be said, catering brought them just plastic boxes with something like sushi.  
"Next time rather French gastronomy," said Kagami, after opening one of boxes.  
They almost finished their lunch, when man in Explosive Ordinance Disposal (Bomb Suit) marked 'POLICE', accompanied with several policemen in heavy Crowd Control Anti-Riot Suits came to their place.  
"I'm sorry to interrupt your work, Mr. Agreste, but the bomb is announced here!" Policeman had on back of his Bomb Suit inscription – 'Police Bomb Disposal Expert. If you see me running, try your best to run faster!' He moved to them. "We must evacuate you from this place!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44)

Policemen escorted group into several armored vans. In first moment they did not notice, Vincent, same as both make-up assistants and butler Jean were separated from them.  
"I'm sorry, but we must also check all your cars," explained eldering man in civil clothes, who introduced himself as Chief-Inspector François Lesbuche. "We'll manage to transport your cars to your places later, I promise."  
"Do you have an idea, who is responsible for that, Chief-Inspector?" asked Gabriel.  
"Possibly some kind of Khmere Verte*," answered Lesbuche. "I myself guess about 'Brats of Earth'** or GretaJugend***, as Greenpisses*** have no history of announcing bombs."  
(*Green Khmeres, **Children of Earth, *** needs no explanation)  
Chief-Inspector was embittered person, who was sure, he knows what to do, but had no power to carry out that. He pulled phone from his pocket.  
"Could you recognize the voice?" he asked, pressing 'ON' audio playback.  
"The Agrestes' greed on this planet must be stopped!" said exalted voice. "I placed a bomb on their photoshoot place. It will blast in twenty minutes!"  
Adrien was quite sure, he recognized Luka's voice, but he suspected himself to be simply too biased against his love rival…  
"For me it sounds rather like lonely wolf manifesto," said Gabriel.  
"Maybe," nodded Lesbuche. "I asked our psychology profilers, whether they're able to extract something useful from these few words. But I do not expect a lot from that…"  
With that he slammed van by his fist several time, to give drivers signal to leave the place…

XXXXXXX

Two vans with non-transparent lateral and back sides stopped after some forty minutes of drive. When passengers left them, they observed anonymous abandoned factory building without any characteristic signs. Big door, evidently enough for lorry to drive inside was opened and one of drivers gesticulated on them to come in.  
"Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Adrien Aggreste," said medium aged man in dark grey sweeter. "Or should I rather say Chat Noir?"  
"I somehow overheard your name," said Adrien.  
Adrien decided not to show, he was worry. Not much for himself, but rather for his friends, his families and especially for Marinette.  
"Call me 'Mr. Armaund'," demanded man. From his tone it was evident, that name was a pure bogus. "I'm head of Department of Supernatural and Inexplicable Threats, DGSI. From now, consider me to be your boss, all of you here."  
"What do you mean?!" asked Gabriel Agreste with angry tone.  
"So, Mr. Gabriel Agreste, aka "Hawkmoth," croaked oldster man with cane.  
Old man looked quite petrifying. He had only his right eye, place of his left eye was covered by eyepatch. His left cheek was mutilated by several deep scars, probably during horrible trauma, caused by knife, sabre, or another cutting weapon. His voice was with strong German accent, like from an film about Second World War.  
Adrien did not think straight that moment.  
"Plagg!" he ordered. "Cataclysm anybody, who tries to use firearm!"  
Boy moved to old man and yanked his cane. Cane looked like usual black cane, simple orthopedic aid, but it was surprisingly heavy. By tugging Adrien released quite a long rapier. Boy moved to 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"Tikki! Spots on!" ordered Marinette and as Ladybug she moved to Adrien's left side, positioning herself as shield-wielder with her yo-yo rotating.  
"Roaar!" ordered Kagami. "Get ready to fight independently!"  
Japanese girl, wakizashi in her right hand, tantō dagger in her left hand, positioned herself back-to-back with Adrien.  
"Wayzz! Shell on!" "Trixx! Let's pounce!" Both Nino and Alya got prepared to fight.  
Gabriel tried to move towards one of men, who appeared in moment of Adrien's attack. Knife, quickly appearing in hand of that man, made Gabriel rethink battle tactics.  
"Pollen!" Chloé lost her temper too. "Disable anybody, who attacks our hive!"  
Three free moving kwamis flied in air like really angry hornets.  
'Mr. Armaund' made three quick, almost dancing steps away from Adrien's weapon and clapped his hands. Net moment he produced 20 Euro banknote from his pocket, placing it into fingers of old one-eyed man.  
"You raised him well, Mr. Agreste," said that horrible oldie. "He has the pretty exact murderous instinct he will need in future."  
"Quite impressive," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "But better don't miss-underestimate us! Do you really think, we have no ace in collar?"  
He snapped his fingers and one of his 'minions' removed spread from big TV-monitor. Involuntary guest observed moment, when Chat Noir left Agreste Manor through cataclysmed window, few moments later started fight with Hawkmoth on one rooftop, after edit-cut appeared Marinette as Tigresse, fighting with Volpina, later blocking Chat Noir from punishing Luka Couffaine, both Monkey Queen and Beauceron in fight with Hawkmoth, group of six heroes approaching Agreste Manor and few moments later car, followed by four heroes left the building. The building of old factory, where was fake Hawkmoth's lair was shown, filmed by telephoto lens from long distance, but it was evident, heroes came there to enact just an drama performance for stupid public.  
One of 'Mr. Armaund's' man opened briefcase and distributed to each of them folder with several papers. Adrien observed on first page of it his own face, compared with face of Chat Noir and he was quite sure, the folder contains information enough to discredit him.  
"If anything happen to any of us, there is unique personal password, each of us used to prepare mail-robots," explained 'Mr. Armaund'. "These mail-robots would send all these videos, as well as all these files to our superordinate, as well as to main TVs, radios, newspapers and bloggers, well, not to you, Miss Cesaire. We must be alive and with unchanged memory. In order to switch off these mail-robots. The information here could be maybe not enough to charge you at court of justice, but newshounds would crucify all of you."  
"What do you want to charge us?" asked Adrien.  
"Conspiracy for perverting the course of Justice," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "It's quite evident, you made some kind of dirty deal with your father, who was Hawkmoth, preventing his punishment for crimes he made during terrorizing Paris. And after you exposed that cretin Cataldi, press would be after you, in thirsty of your blood."  
"And your offer?!" asked Gabriel.  
"You will co-work with DGSI," 'Mr. Armaund' sounded a bit tired. "Truth to be said, your rampage was the only real case our Department had for a pretty long time, if not from our very founding. As most of you are under eighteen, there will be no official records concerning your cooperation and for the public you will do that just as volunteers, just by total coincidence in our interests. As Miss Burgeois's identity is public secret, she will be our official contact person."  
"Fine," said Gabriel. "But was it necessary to ruin my photoshoot? We could make such meeting in more convenient place under more civilized circumstances…"  
"We didn't ruin your photoshoot," said one of agents. "It was this guy," he showed on tablet photo of boy with phone, hiding his face and hair under hood, but everybody recognized him. "We made surveillance of all your places. This guy observed Dupain-Cheng Bakery and followed your car to Agreste Manor. Once he recognized place of photoshoot, he purchased a burner-phone and announced bomb there. 'Mr. Armaund' decided that opportunity as good moment for making this recruitment."  
"Luka Couffaine," Adrien said aloud. "That cretin…"  
"I believe, your photographer has enough photos for whatever you'd need it," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "Call him and instruct him to work independently, Mr. Agreste. Unfortunately, we can't send our agents to court of Justice, as surveillance of your places was unofficial."  
"OK," Gabriel dialed on his phone. "Vincent, I'm a Police headquarters. They keep trying to find, who announced that bomb. You know, what to do with photos, so don't disappoint me."  
"Sure thing sir!" everybody heard Vincent's voice from speakerphone. "Let me know, whom I should kick his ass!"  
Gabriel switched his phone off and nodded.  
"Fine, we can continue negotiation. I could reveal myself in public, if your conditions would be over the edge."  
"We're reasonable, Mr. Agreste," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "I believe, we can agree on some quid pro quo."  
"You Miss Burgeois, are a really good liar," said horrible oldie. " You should study law faculty, you would be superb lawyer. We have your father here, you'll explain him, you want to hold in fee your own private-eye company. If I could recommend you a business model, name it 'Miraculous'. I selected for you first five employees. Two of them are former DGSI operatives, one is former Detective-Chief-Inspector of Police, one is former Gendarme and the last one is former paratrooper with bomb disposal expert course. So if you need in future destroy some other building, you would not need to rely on mobsters in it. They are all over seventy, with adult grandchildren or without any grandchild, long time divorced or widowers, so if they would lost their life in fight, there would be no big questioning about that. They are expendables and they know it. They agreed with this work voluntarily, as they are bored being pensioners. Their role will be to supervise you, to prevent you from defection, as well as they know, in case of necessity their duty is protect you by their life. Their other duty will be to run private detective agency right way to keep it financially independent, for case of any audit in future."  
"Are you…" Chloé gasped. "Are you crazy?"  
"Not at all," smiled old man. "I should introduce myself. I'm Orlowski. Ernst Orlowski. Maybe not as cool name as Bond, James Bond, but contrary to that 'Her Majesty's Alcoholic' I really worked fourteen years as Stasi operative and next twelve years as instructor of operative work. I will work in your agency as instructor and liaison officer with DGSI. Mr. Antoine Perlin, former Gendarme, is quite competent administrator, I recommend you to use him as executive director of your future office."  
All people stared on him in awe.  
"Was it scimitar or what?" asked Kagami, who returned her weapons back to scabbards and moved closed to him, observing and pointing on his face.  
"You have good eye, Miss Tsurugi," Herr Orlowski pointed on his left cheek. "That Ahmed was too good fencer for his own good. In fact, he would possibly kill me, if my partner wouldn't shot him death. Problem was, our mission was taking him alive, to interrogate him. So my partner was punished by party's demerit and I was kicked to do instructor work. Mr. Agreste SENIOR, you have no idea, how lucky you are."  
"What do you mean?" asked Gabriel.  
"When MY son learned, what I did for Stasi, he ran away from home, to his mother's parents home and changed his surname to their. Well, my wife divorced with me immediately and after unification of Germany, I rather decided to fly away, got hired several times by somebody, who needed good interrogator."  
"Mercenary…" said Kagami with disgust.  
"You could say that, Miss Tsurugi. My actual employer is here 'Mr. Armaund' and you better remember to name me 'Consultant Orlowski', as it's my official position, both in DGSI and in Miss Burgeois's future detective agency."  
"What would you need from us?" asked Gabriel. "We don't have Miraculouses anymore."  
"You and Miss Sancoeur, future Mrs. Agreste, I believe, you will cover our operatives in necessary cases," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "In case we'll need that, we will ask you to use them as temporary employees for your actions. Maybe we'll need you to prepare some fashion action just to cover our own operations. Dupain-Cheng bakery is perfect good place for meeting with informants, so you'll see everything, but not say anything to unauthorized ear. Any demur?"  
"I have for all of us a few demands," said Adrien. "For now, our work means work for you personally, 'Mr. Armaund'. We'll not work for your successor on position of Head of your Department. You'll not risk our lives meaningless and you'll not send us against good guys."  
"Well, who's a good guy?!" asked 'Mr. Armaund' philosophically. "You are valuable human resource for our Department and do trust me, your work will be for patriotism, for La France…"  
Adrien made strange look on 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"I'm surprised, that your mouth did not rupture after speaking such big words. Such like 'trust' or 'patriotism' are," said boy bitterly. "You hired evident criminal, evident villain as consultant. You blackmail us to work for you."  
"I prefer using word motivate," said Herr Orlowski with evil giggle. "In my old work we usually menaced parents. Like that their children would be not allowed to study good secondary school or university, if they'd refuse to collaborate with Stasi. But seems to me, here and now, threat of public showing your own dirt works same effectively. And for your information, I only followed my orders…"  
"Same said Jodl and Keitel in Nuremberg," retorted Adrien.  
Herr Orlowski laughed, amused.  
"Maybe," he answered. "Maybe… But there was no Nuremberg Trial against communists and Brussel is full of comrades right now."  
People looked on Orlowski with visible disgust.  
"So instead of properly doing your work, solving threat by your own agents, you rather force us to do dirty work for you," said Kagami. "What to expect from representative of authorities in country, where in moment of 3i flood childless gerontophile was voted as supreme head of country?!"  
"Well, Miss Tsurugi," 'Mr. Armaund' was close to lose his temper. "I personally didn't vote him and I am obeyed to accept political representatives as they were voted. What's 3i, by the way?"  
"Illegal Islam Invaders," answered Kagami.  
"Well, Islamists come under competence of another Departments," said 'Mr. Armaund' buck-passing.  
"Fine," finished Adrien sharply. "But we need some better guarantee, as we'll risk our lives for your benefit. I believe, we need some more luck in it…"  
"True," agreed Ladybug. "Lucky Charm!" she threw her yo-yo up.  
She obtained a piece of parchment, a bit smaller, than usual paper format A4.  
"Miraculous Pact," she read. "There are written conditions of our cooperation with you, 'Mr. Armaund'. It contains, that we will not do sex with suspects for obtaining information, that you will ensure logistical and fire support during our joint opperations and so on. There are superscribed places for each of us for signature. This pact needs from almost all of us to be signed by nome de guere or by cover name. The only exceptions are Chloé Burgeois and her father, who should make their signature by normal name, Chloé also as Queen Bee."  
Adrien looked on parchment:  
"Whom the heck is 'Agent Mickeymouse'?" he asked in disbelief…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45)

"It's me," answered one of 'Mr. Arnauld's' 'minions'.  
Man was almost baldheaded with big protruding ears. Adrien was almost one head taller, than him. He though, more correct cover name would be 'Agent Hurvínek', as he was rather similar to that puppet, than to Mickey.  
"Could you sign this document?" asked Ladybug. "And Adrien, I feel, you should rather transform before signing that."  
"Do it!" ordered 'Mr. Arnauld'. "Both of you. Or more correctly to say, I believe Miss Tsurugi should also become Tigresse again."  
"True," said Ladybug. "Her place is marked 'Tigresse'."  
"Plagg!" said Adrien. "Claws out!"  
"Roaar!" ordered Kagami. "Stripes on!"  
When 'agent Mickeymouse' signed pact, his signature disappeared, like being 'consumed' by parchment. Same happened with Tigresse's, Nathalie's, and his father's signature. Chat's signature remained on document visible, same as signature of Ladybug and 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"'Belmondo'," ordered 'Mr. Armaund'. "Once you sign it, take care to change perimeter guards, so they could sign it too. Miss Dupain-Cheng, could you explain, why my or your signatures remain, but other disappeared?"  
"I have no idea," said Ladybug.  
"I could only speculate," said Chat Noir, observing disappearance of Carapace's signature. "I guess, we are considered to be guarantors of pact, the others are just affected by its magic. But as I said, it's just a pure speculation."  
"I think, it's best explanation anybody could offer us now," said Herr Orlowski. "We're challenging magic and its answer could be incalculable. By the way, give me my cane back, please, I use it also as normal cane a bit…"  
"Heavy Duty, manufactured by Cold Steel," Tigresse inspected it. "Probably the best sword cane you can purchase out of Japan."  
Consultant Orlowski grabbed the cane and returned blade back into its inside.  
There was only one female agent, woman almost one head taller, than Adrien, with ice-cold blue eyes and hair so lightly blond, that it was almost white. She could be beautiful, if not of her frowning face and constricted lips. Her cover name 'Agent Valkyrie' quite fitted her, thought Adrien a bit sadly…  
There remained only one place for Mayor Burgeois, on document remained signatures of Ladybug, Chat Noir, Chloé Burgeois, who signed herself both out of costume by her civil name and after transformation by her hero name, 'Mr. Armaund', and Consultant Orlowski.  
Other heroes, as well as Sabine, Nathalie, Tom, and Gabriel together with Etienne 'The Gorilla', were instructed to leave for another part of abandoned factory building. One of agents returned through other door together with Mayor Burgeois, in company with Butler Jean. 'Mr. Armaund' offered him hand to shake:  
"Mayor Burgeois, call me 'Mr. Armaund' and officially we never met and this meeting officially never happened. I'm head of Department of Supernatural and Inexplicable Threats, DGSI. Your daughter and other heroes just signed pact of cooperation with us now. There's one place for your signature too. Your daughter, as contact person for Paris heroes, will run private detective agency in closest possible future. We chose her 'support crew', if I can name it that way. It'll be cover-up for our cooperation, same as part of assistance. Her employees will do first assort of information and demands, provide the logistic and arrange basic financing. They'll do classic work of private eye like surveillance of adulterous partners or collecting dirt. As Miss Burgeois is your daughter, they'll also collect dirt against your political opponents. Everybody will expect them to do that, so we don't want to disillusion people's anticipations."  
"Chloé is not adult yet," objected Mayor Burgeois.  
"Herr Bürgermeister*, your daughter chose herself to do work adults usually do," said Consultant Orlowski. "She did it voluntarily and now she voluntarily agreed to cooperate with us. In fact we could just do things our way, without you even being involved, not telling you a single word. But I personally really believe, parents should NOT be circumvented such a way. So consider your being here to be rather courtesy from our side."  
(* Mayor in Deutsch)  
"Whom the Hell YOU are?" Mayor Burgeois somewhere found his own piece of backbone. "HOW DARE you to speak with me such a way?!"  
"I'm Consultant Ernst Orlowski," said horrible oldie calmly. "I'm no Frogeater. To scare me you'd need more, than your empty self-importance. I worked for German Secret Service more, than quarter of century and I faced much more scary things, than you could only imagine."  
"What agency did you work for?" asked Mayor Burgeois, a bit tamed now. "For Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz*, or for Bundesnachrichtendienst**?"  
(*Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution – German domestic security agency, **Federal Intelligence Service – German foreign espionage)  
"For Stasi," answered Orlowski with ugly smile.  
"For Stasi?!" Mayor Burgeois was upset again. "That KGB filial?!"  
"Sure, Herr Bürgermeister," Orlowski relished Mayor's anger. "It's why I know, how to do my work with low budget and my obligations of loyalty are forfeited now, so I can work for both 'Mr. Armaund' and for your daughter. And with my help she has better chance to survive, by the way. So you should be rather grateful now. I did terrible things to people way much better, than you can even dream to be. So I have experience…"  
"I hate to break you, but this pact should be signed NOW!" said Ladybug. "It's my Lucky Charm and I must use it in less, than a minute."  
"Sign it, daddy!" said Queen Bee. "I'll look for myself and this seems to be a good way. I'll apply for Law faculty, as lawyer with my own detective agency I can be useful in future and do some good work…"  
"OK, my little princess!" said Mayor Burgeois and signed the document.  
He made an angry face to Orlowski, who only laughed. Ladybug grabbed document and threw the parchment up.  
"Miraculous Ladybug!"  
Myriads of Ladybugs flied away and disappeared.  
"What did the spell do?" asked 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"Hard to say," answered Ladybug. "I must recharge my kwami, I could ask her. Bug out!"  
With that she disappeared in same way, the others were moved.

XXXXXXX

Tikki dropped the transformation just on the other side of the door. Kwami started to gnaw biscuit Sabine immediately offered her.  
"Tikki, what did that spell do?" asked Marinette.  
"It will accompany everybody, who signed that pact and in case of betrayal it will finish him or her," answered kwami. "I'm sorry, but it was the only way…"  
"It's not your fault," said Gabriel. "As it was said, now it's really one for all and all for one. I apologize for making you doing things that way."  
"No ," Marinette smirked. "I believe, Adrien will appreciate having a bit upper hand in it."  
"He's my son, however he's better guy, than me," smiled Gabriel.  
"I'm ready," kwami finished her biscuit. "You know the words."  
"Tikki! Spots on!"

XXXXXXX

"According my kwami, the spell would finish person, who would betray our pact," explained Ladybug.  
Chat Noir laughed aloud. That was an amazing case of Mexican Standoff…  
"WHAT?!" asked Mayor Burgeois, who got angry.  
"Daddy, I'm sure, you're not going to betray ME," said Queen Bee. "And betraying any of heroes means to betray me!"  
"Sure, my little princess!" nodded her father finally.  
'Mr. Armaund' seemed to be confused.  
"Now you must NOT act, as you Frogeaters are used to!" Herr Orlowski laughed by croaky laughter. "I'm over eighty myself. For me it's my last stand. I rather die, than betray pact. I don't worry to die. All I could hope is some redemption of my past. But you, 'Herr Armaund', you simply cannot wipe your ass with heroes being your allies. It's quite obvious. As your consultant I should recommend you to be REALLY fair with them. It's literally life-important for all of us here. Chat Noir was right, talking life on TV about being ally to the French. You should not ask, 'Will they betray us?', but 'Will we have any profit from being French allies BEFORE they inevitably betray us?' So now there was no place for cunning left."  
Queen Bee hugged her father and said:  
"Now go home daddy, please. We have quite a lot of things to speak about and part of it you should better not know, if you want to have a good sleeping without nightmares. We can have a family dinner tonight, if you wish so."  
"Your daughter is right," said 'Mr. Armaund', who calmed himself. "She's wiser, than I'd expect, concerning her history…"  
"OK," said Mayor Burgeois. "But if something happen to her, I'd find you and neither your position in Secret Service, nor your training drill would protect you from my wrath."  
"Deal, Mayor Burgeois," answered 'Mr. Armaund'. "I'd prefer to meet with you under different circumstances, but the World is how it is. I believe, you'll find our cooperation to mutual benefit. Just remember, we never met each other and this meeting never happened. The same I ask also from you, Mr. Jean Passepartout."  
"Sure," said Butler Jean with nod. "And remember, if something happen to miss Burgeois, I'd help her father with tearing you into small pieces and I'd wipe the floor with your dead body. Accept it as my promise."  
With that both men were escorted to Mayor's limousine by one DGSI agent.  
"Did you meet with something similar?" asked 'Mr. Armaund' to Herr Orlowski.  
"Quite often," was brisk answer from old Stasi spy. "But this time I'd rather believe it…"  
They moved to the rest of the group. There Orlowski produced from one bag four purses. They were the exact same, quite plain.  
"That's totally out of my style!" objected Queen Bee, when obtained one of them. "Such a cheesy trash!"  
"You have fashion designers here," said Orlowski coldly. "They surely could make it more fashionable. There's another reason for this kind of purse."  
No surprise it was Kagami, who as first of them fished from concealed pocket a gun.  
"Just a plastic toy!" she said disgusted.  
"You're under eighteen, so we could hardly give you real weapons without our watchful supervision," explained 'Mr. Armaund'. "Etienne, come here, please."  
To Adrien's surprise 'Agent Valkyrie' came to his bodyguard and kissed his cheek.  
"Salut Etienne," she said. "Long time we didn't meet. I should say to you, we found that asshole, ho cut your vocal cords. He quite a long time refused to tell us, who'd sent him to kill you. With 'Belmondo' and 'Loutre' we 'disposed' that out of records. Unfortunately, when Agreste hired you as bodyguard, HQ prohibited us to contact you."  
The Gorilla's face melted in smile. He nodded. Adrien though, this woman is like female version of his bodyguard, sharp as razor…  
"Fine, you two lovebirds," said 'Mr. Armaund' amused tone. "'Valkyrie', if you wish date him, I can approve it now."  
"Thanks, Armaund," she said and gave him negligent salute. "We'll debate it with Etienne later."  
Observing surprised faces of guests, both 'Mr. Armaund' and Herr Orlowski laughed.  
"Contrary to Hollywood cliché most of Secret Service Agencies through all over the World prefer as operatives people with stable family background, ideally with 'dull petty bourgeois' moral and tedious life style," explained Consultant Orlowski. "You know, neighbor you never ask his or her profession, as it must be an boring bureaucrat, doing all the time silly paperwork. And neighbor you never suspect to work for secret service…"  
One of agents passed suitcase to Adrien's bodyguard. When he felt heavy weight of it, he was surprised and elevated his left eyebrow.  
"You may open it Etienne," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "There's no explosive device inside. At least nothing imminently explosive."  
The Gorilla shook his head and opened suitcase. To surprise of all 'guests' there were six same guns in belt holsters made from plastic.  
Herr Orlowski wore chirurgic gloves, released one of guns from its holster and showed empty pistol chamber.  
"Sig Sauer P365 SAS," explained oldie. "The best gun for our purpose. These six were manufactured without numbers, so they officially even do not exist. So nobody 'uninitiated' should know about them. Guns and ammo are clean, no DNA, nor fingerprints. Don't get caught by Police, they'd really dislike it…"  
"Etienne will explain you, how to use your gun," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "In Agreste Manor is a lot of place for improvised hidden shooting range and proper treasury to keep it safe and in secret. During shooting practice you'll use the standard ammo, but for case of necessity we have ammo with bullets made from silver, malleable iron, marine salt or aspen wood in extra-thin copper jacket, so these bullets fragment in body, same with bullets made from glass."  
"Bullet made from glass?" asked Alya. "What's the sense of it?"  
"For case, that legend of fext is more, than just fairytale," explained Herr Orlowski. "Stasi Department of Paranormal Threat also just collected fragments of information from mythology, legends or fairytales, like Grimm brothers in nineteen century. There are also some crossbows in our arsenal, converted to launch sharpened wooden sticks, but to hide it under one's shirt is pretty uneasy."  
"I guess, bullet made from salt or wood must be too lightweight, so charging mechanism of this gun would probably work wrong way," said Kagami.  
"True, even the bullet made from glass is not heavy enough," nodded one of agents. "You must reload new cartridge by hand. A little bug in plans unfortunately. But if we need to keep these pistols able to shoot normal ammo, we cannot convert these guns too much."  
"Once you're in age of twenty one, apply for firearm license, I'd recommend it to all of you," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "We'll grease some wheels, so your applications will not be dropped as unjustified. Before that time you could use these guns, strictly for most necessary case. Unfortunatelly, our help in case of deconspiration could hardly be really effective."  
"Why should we use guns?" asked Rena Rouge. "We have our Miraculous magic…"  
"Magic gives you non-standardisable results, quite often with unpredictable side-effects," said Orlowski. "You need quite a long time to find properly hidden place for transformation and time is often a luxury good you're short of. So if problem could be solved by simple force of weapon, I'd as consultant recommend use it. Magic is in fact just the last option, when all the others, including doing nothing, failed."  
"If you think so low about magic, why do you need blackmail us to work for you?" asked Chat Noir. "If there is in future any magical threat, we would solve it our way and you could just drink pastis in café."  
"That way we could hardly show your results as our success," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "By the way, I will need you to write a report about Hawkmoth case. We all here know truth, but I need something I can show to HQ and that should better not differ too much from version for press."  
"You were right Nathalie," said Alya. "Armed bureaucrats, that fits pretty well!"  
"Miss Cesaire, magic is like nuclear weapon," said Orlowski. "It's problematic, potentially hazardous and expensive. But once your opponent has it, you need to have it too. So you're our last choice for case of another magically armed terrorist," he pointed to Gabriel Agreste. "Quiz question for you, Miss 'Journalist-of-Year': Why needs France to have nuclear weapon?"  
"It's simple, Mr. 'I-will-beat-all-info-out-of-you'," said Alya. "It's because of Russians."  
"If you really think, that France has nuclear weapons for protection against Russia, you're even less competent journalist, that I suspect you to be," made Orlowski ugly smirk.  
"WHAT?!" shrieked Alya.  
"Truth is, that France decided to create own nuclear weapon because Britain had own nuclear arsenal sooner," Orlowski's smile would be terrible even in horror movie. "And De Gaulle in fact hated British that much, that he couldn't let them have such kind of advantage. French nuclear weapons are insufficient to stop Russian fanatics, if they FOR REAL decide to attack you. France doesn't have enough power for that."  
"ENOUGH!" said Gabriel loudly, to avoid aggravation of quarrel. "I guess, for now we can consider things as arranged. Next time we'll add more into it. Sabine, Tom, Marinette, would you give us that pleasure and accept our invitation for festive dinner in Agreste Manor today, please?"  
"With pleasure," said Sabine sooner, than anybody could refuse.  
"Nice," Gabriel dialed his chief-cook and put speakerphone on. "Pierre, could you prepare a dinner for six persons today, please?"  
"Who're your guests?" asked his chief-cook.  
"Dupain-Cheng family."  
"Like owners of Dupain-Cheng bakery?" asked his chief-cook a bit unbelieving.  
"Exactly."  
"OK. Challenge accepted. Any special requirement?"  
"Is there some food allergy?" asked Gabriel.  
"None we know about," answered Sabine.  
"Nice," nodded Gabriel. "No special requirement. Show yourself, Pierre!" he continued. "How much time do you need?"  
"At least one and half of an hour, rather two hours. Is salmon acceptable choice for everybody?"  
"Off course," said Sabine.  
"Good," agreed Gabriel. "There must be somebody or something, who or what eats all our time always. It's already four P.M., so is six P.M. sufficient time for dinner for you?"  
"I don't see, why not," answered Sabine.  
"We actually have both your cars," informed them 'Agent Belmondo', who was probably boxer, as his nose was evidently several times broken. "No bomb was found, same as in Mayor's limousine. You can go now. Remember, say no one."  
"Sure," they all nodded.  
"Who would believe us?" asked Rena Rouge.  
"There're people, who would," said 'Mr. Armaund', "But contacting them could pact spell consider as betrayal. By the way, European Commission, on request of French government, added Akuma butterflies to EU List of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern. Keeping Akuma without special permit is punished by fifty euro penalty per one butterfly, releasing one of them costs five hundred euro now. So have a nice day…"  
"And Miss Burgeois, you should find the way how you could involve that friend of yours, Sabrine Raincomprix, into activities of your new detective agency," recommended Orlowski. "You'd better prevent her feeling to be displaced. She's intelligent enough to be dangerous in such situation. She's not like both, her or your, fathers, whom could be hardly depicted as the sharpest knives in the drawer…"  
"And before you left, here's contact number," added 'Mr. Armaund' giving them business cards with only one phone number being written. "We know your phone numbers, so if you call to that number, there will be automatic operator, demanding for a number. If you don't answer in 30 seconds, it means for us to send rescue team to location of phone. In case you abuse that, we'll arrange for you some special work to be done. If you press one, it means, you have information for us, your call will be recorded. Number two means you need backup for action and you will be asked to depict situation. Number three means alert on general level. You'll be asked to depict situation. For case of deconspiration or need of lawyer help use number four…"

XXXXXXX

Kagami and Chloé, still as Tigresse and Queen Bee left the place for Tsurugi apartment. When both girls jumped to balcony, Tomoe Tsurugi appeared, keeping katana both-handed.  
"Hello, mother," said Tigresse.  
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Tsurugi," Queen Bee managed to be polite now.  
"Miss Burgeois?" asked Tomoe. "Should I consider you as more often visitor here?"  
"As I adopted her as my step-sister, I guess so," said Tigresse. "May we come in? Some rubbernecks could observe our place."  
"Sure, daughter," answered Tomoe Tsurugi and again, a bit ceremonially produced silk bandanna from her pocket. Not touching the blade by bare skin she changed the grip in order to hand it to her daughter.  
"Kagami, my daughter, be so kind and put 'Cloud Breaker' back on its place!"  
"Sure mother!" Tigresse made bow as usual and accepted family katana. She placed long sword to place of honor on wall near to home altar.  
"If my daughter accepted you as her adoptive sister, I'd like you to have tea with us now," said Tomoe to Queen Bee.  
"I would be honored," to her own big surprise Queen Bee made a deep bow to Kagami's mother. "May I drop transformation now? My kwami is probably tired and hungry."  
"Sure," nodded Tomoe. "Take good care for your little friend."  
Tomoe left and quickly reappeared with piece of raw meat.  
"Kagami, I believe, you should feed your kwami too."  
"Sure, mother," Tigresse made a deep bow. "Roaar! Stripes off!"  
Kagami accepted piece of meat and offered it to Roaar, who made deep bow to Tomoe.  
"Madam Tsurugi, I'm glad to meat honorable warrior," Tiger kwami said in Japanese.  
"Pollen! Buzz off!" Chloé offered dose with honey to her kwami.  
"Come, sis!" said Kagami and guided Chloé to bathroom for washing hands and making some refreshment.  
When both girls came to Tsurugi family living room, there were already prepared tatami for three persons.  
"Follow me and do what I do," whispered Kagami into Chloé's ear.  
Tomoe smiled a little bit. As blind she heard her daughter pretty well.  
"Don't worry Chloé," she made probably best motherly smile she was able to. "As Kagami's adoptive sister you're at least in some degree also my adoptive daughter. We'll explain you everything, all you need to take care is stay respectful to our tradition…"  
That afternoon was finally really interesting. Once Chloé left, via balcony transformed to Queen Bee, Tomoe commented:  
"You two being here together means, Adrien was taken by another girl. I guess, it was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Am I right?"  
"Yes mother," answered Kagami. "Adrien made his choice. I'm glad it was not Lila Rossi, at least one solace…"

XXXXXXX

Alya with Nino left place superhero way. Rena Rouge was still furious for being dumped by Consultant Orlowski and Nino hoped, she would stay in such state a bit longer, as in moment of her wrath they usually had a much better sex together…

XXXXXXX

"Did I right thing, when I signed that?" asked Mayor Burgeois.  
It was rather a rhetorical question, but Butler Jean, who was driving the limousine, decided to answer anyway:  
"That way Miss Chloé can learn responsibility, discipline and everything," truth to be said, Butler Jean considered himself being something like Chloé's uncle. "She improved really much, with responsibility of Queen Bee."  
"You're right Jean," Mayor Burgeois sighed. "Just they scare me a lot, especially that horrible Bosh, that Consultant!"  
"Yes sir, he was quite unsettling, I guess," answered Butler Jean. "Especially if he really would be the help to keep Miss Chloé alive…"

XXXXXXX

The Gorilla parked Agreste's car in garage and showed Tom to drive in too. To Adrien's surprise they left garage much less used door, where Etienne opened one door to show small underground tunnel shooting range with four shooting boxes and big treasury, where several handguns were placed together with sniper rifle, three shotgun pumps with side folding stocks, and even also two submachine guns. Etienne placed unexpected 'gift' from 'Mr. Armaund' there and showed Adrien combination of numbers, probably just for every case in future…

XXXXXXX

Salmon on herbal butter with roasted potatoes was tasty meal and dinner in Agreste Manor dining room was probably best Adrien had there for years.  
"I have one wish," said Adrien sotto voce. He probably did not expect answer.  
"Yes?" asked Gabriel to his surprise.  
"I wish to have this year Christmas party in similar style here this year, if all of you agree. I believe, we could have here even more guests, if it would be necessary."  
"I have no objection," said his father. "If others would ascertain it as comfortable variant, I don't know, why not."  
"I hope to have grandparents for party this year," said Marinette.  
Gabriel silently showed for empty chairs.  
"Could you cooperate with Nathalie to help her organize it?" he asked.  
"Are you going not to be helpful yourself, sir?" asked Nathalie.  
"It's Gabriel now, Nathalie, remember it, please," he said with small smile. "Answer is no. I WILL help, off course, same as Adrien will, I believe. But I prefer you two to make choice of decoration style and so on. We will do the, well let's name it…, 'structural' work."  
"I will need Adrien quite often this week in my place," said Marinette. "I need to finish his costume for Halloween party and do some measure…"  
"Well, I believe, you have the way to organize it," answered Gabriel. "I just wish him not to drop fencing or Chinese lessons."  
Marinette left place with her parents shortly after dinner by her family's car, she observed Adrien waving them.  
"Don't worry, he'll come soon," said Sabine. "Tom," she turned to her husband. "What do you want to bet for? Will Marinette let him in or will he come by himself, using his kwami instead of picklock?"  
"I think, she'll let him in," said Tom.  
"Twenty euro for picklock," answered Sabine.  
"I'm still here and hearing you!" shouted Marinette, what caused both her parent laughing.  
Even betrayer Tikki in her purse giggled.  
Marinette crossed her hands on her chest, pouting, what almost caused traffic accident, as her father laughed even more.  
"Blame yourself!" said her mother. "Once you came to Adrien's bedroom the way you did. I believe, that blind goodie boy would hardly force you to have sex with him."  
Marinette grimaced, but nodded.  
"If I left everything on him, he would probably wait till our wedding night," she sighed silently. "But after what he came through yesterday, I simply needed to feel him… to know… he's alive, with me…"  
"I can't say, it's wrong reason," Sabine frowned. "But I'd rather prefer just simple mutual love between you two."  
"That was one of reasons, too," said to surprise of everybody Tikki. "However maybe not the main one for haste…"

XXXXXXX

"So son?" asked Gabriel.  
"Yes, father?" answered Adrien, trying his best not to laugh.  
"Would you wish to announce your being with Miss Dupain-Cheng somehow officially?" asked Nathalie. "Or will you let paparazzi to find out?"  
"They also need to eat," smiled Adrien. "So let's tem make some photos for sale…"  
"At least from Wednesday everybody will know," said Gabriel.  
"But I kissed all three of them," disagreed Adrien. "Marinette, Chloé, and Kagami too."  
"You did," agreed his father. "But your body language spoke exactly about Marinette. Only blind one would not see it."  
Adrien shrugged his shoulders.  
"I have some homework for school and tomorrow is Monday," he smirked. "Good night, both of you."

XXXXXXX

"Finita la commedia!" said Adrien, finishing his homework and placing everything, together with akuma chrysalises into his schoolbag.  
He jam-packed it into bag with his spare clothes, that Marinette left there Saturday night. Being after shower in pajama, he wore bathrobe and prepared several pieces of Camembert.  
"I'm sleeping!" said Plagg. "Now I'm even not hungry!"  
Adrien unpacked one piece of Camembert and started waving it in air.  
"Too cruel to left it idly sway!" said Plagg and grabbed it. "Let me at least eat it."  
Plagg almost fondled his piece of Camembert before eating it.  
"OK, love-boy, let's go!"  
"Plagg! Claws out!"  
As Chat Noir he quickly reached Dupain-Cheng Bakery upper balcony. To his slight surprise the trapdoor was locked.  
"Plagg! Claws in!"  
Adrein offered another piece of Camembert to his kwami.  
"I'm not a picklock!" said Plagg, pretending being offended.  
"Camembert!" laughed Adrien. "Such a nice piece of smelly Camembert…"  
"OK!" muttered Plagg and swallowed piece of cheese. "Only for you and only for now!"  
He disappeared through the trapdoor.  
"Taa-Daah!" said relatively silently both Plagg and Tikki, who opened trapdoor together. "I guess, you don't have something sweet for Sugar Cube," said Plagg.  
"Not now, but I may try find something, this is bakery here, there MUST be something sweet," said Adrien.  
"Don't worry golden boy!" said Tikki with giggle. "Stinky Sock just teases you."  
Marinette's bedroom was dark and silent.  
"Are you here, Marinette?" asked Adrien silently.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46)

Adrien heard silent snoring, like if Marinette was actually deep-sleeping now. He came to her bed and with true delight he observed her face. She looked angelically cute. But his abilities of Chat Noir helped him observe, that her eyes were forcefully constricted, what is actually not normal during sleeping.  
-So she only pretend being sleeping!- he thought. –Time for a little game…-  
"Let's try, if True-Love-Kiss will work to wake up My Lady, being 'Sleeping Beauty' right now," he said suppressing laughter.  
He was sure to hear Plagg's silent evil cackle, as well as Tikki's giggling.  
Adrien kneeled to Marinette's bed and gently kissed her lips. Girl did not react.  
"Maybe I used it too often and it's discharged," he said philosophically. "Let's try something other!"  
He continued, kissing her forehead, both cheeks and slowly moved to left earlobe. Kissing there caused shivering Marinette was unable to hide.  
"Finally something, what works!" said Adrien happy-voiced.  
He continued to right earlobe and neck. When he slowly moved to her right nipple and added to kissing also a little sucking and licking, Marinette was unable to continue persisting. She quickly caught Adrien in bear-hug. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her hands around his neck.  
"Look at what the Cat dragged in!" said Marinette and switched on bedside lamp.  
"So my princess finally sleeps no more?" asked Adrien amusedly.  
"Well," Marinette faked looking thoughtfully. "It depends. Maybe it's a nice dream, or maybe cauchemar. Let's see, how it will progress."  
During she spoke, she tightened her grip on Adrien's neck, so she forced him closed to her lips and kissed him quite passionately.  
"Hey Kitty Kitty!" she dared to say before switching light off and placing her left hand into his pajama trousers, helping him to take it down. "Seems to me you enjoy this!"  
They both helped each other out of pajamas. Marinette made few movements, aiming Adrien's erected penis 'inside'.  
"We should stay silent," she whispered into his ear and bite him into earlobe in a moment, when he 'entered'.  
"Don't hurry that much," whispered Adrien back and did his best to bend down, for next kiss on her right nipple.  
Marinette in reaction tightened her grip by legs wrapped around his waist, almost not letting him move. Next moment she was quite rough, grabbing his hair and moving him back to kiss her lips.  
They surprisingly collapsed for a moment together, few minutes later. Adrien came around sooner and tried his best to lightweight himself, not to suffocate her. He tried to hear her breathing, which was a bit too shallow and the grip of her hands and legs was spasmodic.  
"Marinette!" he whispered in horror.  
Girl opened her eyes and quickly kissed his cheek. A bit fitful she breathed in and out and finally she smiled.  
"I'm not made from glass! I told you."  
"You scared me!" Adrien's voice was a bit accusatory.  
"But it's nice, I believe," she made few movements by her pelvis, causing resumption of his erection. "I like it."  
He was almost not allowed to move, Marinette was surprisingly strong. Adrien did his best at least with fondling her body by his hands.  
"That's nice…" was another whisper into his ear. "Continue!"  
They soon needed to move to small washbasin in Marinette's bedroom. They silently helped each-other with doing hygiene and moved back to her bed.  
"Another round?" asked Marinette with a pixie smile on her lips.  
"Well my lady," Adrien suppressed yawning. "Shouldn't we rather get some sleep before school tomorrow," he looked on her alarm clock. "Well, today."  
Marinette tripped Adrien to bed and cuddled to him.  
"But you MUST keep me warm!"  
He wrapped them both with comforter and under it he made as much of skin contact he was able to carry out. Marinette kissed his nose and fell asleep. Adrien observed her a minute or so before falling asleep too…

XXXXXXX

Pro touhu, pro touhu po kráse...For a desire, for a desire for beauty  
děkuji za ošklivost,...thanks for ugliness  
děkuji za to, že utká se...thanks for that, there encounter  
láska a nevraživost,...love and malice,  
pro sladkost, pro sladkost usnutí...for a sweetness, for a sweetness of falling asleep  
děkuji za únavu,...thanks for fatigue,  
děkuji za ohně vzplanutí...thanks for flare-up of a flame  
i za šumění splavu,...and for murmur of weir,  
děkuji, děkuji, děkuji...thanks, thank, thanks  
(Fragment from song Děkuji – 'Thanks!' by Karel Kryl)

XXXXXXX

"Sorry! We're closed!" said Tom, hearing knocking on back door.  
"It's me, Nathalie Sancoeur," said woman's voice.  
Tom checked his apron, as he just placed fresh baked baguettes out of oven.  
"Yes, Nathalie?" he asked, opening door only for a small crack.  
"Could you give it to Adrien?" asked Nathalie and handed him phone. "During weekend there was chaos a bit and he forgot to ask it back. Yes and I forgot to give it back to him too."  
Tom made wide eyes, but Nathalie moved away surprisingly quickly. To Tom's surprise, Gabriel was there too and pulled her into hug.  
"You're open in half of an hour, Tom, am I right?" Gabriel was calm and did his best not to look a bit triumphant. "We'll return back for some croissants."  
"Just a minute!" he grumbled. "You're almost part of family, so you do not need to wait!"  
Tom opened door and showed them inside.  
Gabriel looked around.  
"I like this place, it has really nice domestic atmosphere," he commented.  
"Is everything OK?" Sabine appeared from kitchen door. "I heard voices… Oh, good morning, Nathalie and Gabriel. Is something wrong?"  
"Well, Sabine," Tom looked confused. "According them Adrien is here. He had to snake in literally like a stray cat he is!"  
"Well, damage is already done," said Sabine. "If you'd wish to name it damage. Will you two have breakfast with us?"  
"We don't want to be a burden here," said Nathalie.  
"As Tom probably already said, you're part of family now," answered Sabine. "In sense you're NO WAY a burden. By the way, did you make some plans concerning your wedding?"  
"Well, not yet," answered Nathalie. "We're trying now, whether things would go together well and we plan to inform people just only short time before wedding."  
"Fine," said Tom. "But I need some time to prepare your wedding cake. I hope, you didn't change your mind."  
"No," said Gabriel. "As Adrien said that – It will stay in family."  
During some more talks they ate breakfast together.  
"When will they need to wake up?" asked Nathalie.  
"In almost an hour," answered Sabine. "Marinette is no morning person and she has always hard time to wake up in morning, so she usually is late a bit."  
"I'm sorry, but we have some business meetings where I simply MUST NOT be late," said Gabriel. "And you're about to open. Please say my stray son to let us know, that everything is OK. I'm glad, your daughter chose him, he's obviously in so good hands."  
"Sure," said Sabine. "Should we wake them up now?"  
"I think, one parent couple is more, than enough to startle," said Nathalie. "I hope to see you soon."  
With that she and Gabriel left the place…

XXXXXXX

Adrien woke up a few minutes before alarm, being quite a morning person. He observed Marinette. She had her left thumb in her mouth and looked really cute sleeping. He hated to brake such a nice moment, but they needed to get ready for school.  
"Marinette, my love, wake up!" he said, kissing her forehead.  
"Five minutes!" she protested, clenching her fingers into pillow.  
Adrien kissed back side of her neck and slightly bite her. Marinette felt strange chilling feeling and woke up with her eyes wide.  
"It's Monday!" she said, horror in her face.  
"Yes my lady," Adrien gave her smile. "Means, you're like Garfield and you also simply hate Mondays?"  
"No, but…" Marinette had problems to find words. "We must go to school… Together?"  
"Off course together!" said Adrien with his brightest smile on his face. "I look forward to see some elongated faces, once we came there hand-in-hand."  
"But…" Marinette was evidently scared and confused. "But they could tell, that I ensnared you…"  
"Who would say such nonsense?" asked Adrien. "What do you care what other people think?"  
"Lila," answered Marinette. "I do not care much, but anyway…"  
"Anyway, credit belongs to the man in the arena," cited Adrien from Theodore Roosevelt's speech with steel ringing in his voice. "You belong to me and I belong to you. That simply it is and the rest is irrelevant."  
"I wish to have your confidence," said Marinette.  
"It's not a question of confidence," replied Adrien. "You KNOW you ARE right and the rest is unimportant!"  
When he observed her doubting face, he added:  
"And off course, you MUST be right for that. Remember, how you beat Chloé during class president votes. And Chloé is now ally of yours, if not a friend…"  
"Because she KNOWS, I'm Ladybug," protested Marinette. "And she was YOUR friend like from your toddler age."  
"Details and circumstances are secondary thing," said Adrien, shaking his head. "Results is, what counts. I'm quite sure. Chloé prepared herself some kind of speech: 'Marinette is one of my best friends and she always was.' Nobody will dare to call that into question. Or if somebody such appears, Chloé would show anybody as ridiculous."  
"Utterly ridiculous!" agreed Marinette with laugh.  
"So imagine yourself, how Chloé would react and react better way," recommended Adrien.  
"OK," whispered Marinette. "But now, for a moment, hold me tight!"  
"Any time, my love," promised Adrien, doing that.  
After minute or so, he slightly pushed her away a bit.  
"Now show me your homework!" he ordered.  
"Why?"  
"We have a few minutes, so I'll check it for mistakes," explained Adrien. "I'll not allow anybody to say, my fiancée is not the smartest one."  
Marinette felt offended a bit, but finally decided to accept Adrien's help.  
"OK," he said, after checking her math and physics homework. "Here, here, here, and also here are mistakes…" he started with quick explanation.  
It was ten minutes to leave place, they packed everything into schoolbags and dressed up. They decided to wear what they usually wear, not to cause even more of questions.  
"We must say 'Hi' to mum and dad," said Marinette. "Are you ready?"  
"Ready!" answered Adrien with more confidence, than he really felt.  
Climbing stairs was like a descent from quite a high mountain, at least in Adrien's thoughts. Yes, both Marinette's parents were yesterday in Agreste Manor and they already know, Adrien and Marinette have sex together, but doing that under their own roof could be just a 'little-bit' different thing…  
"Good morning, Sabine," said Adrien, observing Marinette's mum first.  
In same moments his shoulders felt the weight of Tom's big hands.  
"Morning Adrien, Nathalie left here your phone, don't forget it here," said Sabine. "Marinette, grab some breakfast. You should rather eat it on your way. Better be at school a bit sooner today…"  
Adrien turned to Tom.  
"Go… good morning, Tom," he finally stuttered.  
Tom gave him bear-hug.  
"Remember son, I really like you, but if you break her heart, I would brake all your bones," he whispered into Adrien's ear. "Use to hear this warning often, sunny-boy."  
Adrien collected all his courage and allowed his internal Chat Noir show himself a bit.  
"I will NEVER betray my lady," he said simply. "Will you continue after our wedding?"  
He managed to return hug.  
"It will depend on YOUR behavior," Tom gave him a quick smirk.  
"Will you come back for lunch?" asked Sabine, giving Adrien his phone.  
"I'll text you, mom," promised Marinette. "Let's go, Adrien."  
"Did you noticed, he was carrying both schoolbags?" asked Sabine, when both teenagers were out of earshot. "Maybe you're grumpy, because he slept with Marinette under our roof without our allowance, but he remains gentleman in what's really important."  
"Do you approve that?!" questioned Tom back.  
"No," his wife gave him smile. "But I know, it's our daughter's very own decision. You may dislike that, you may disagree with that, you may want to dispute that, but that's about everything you could DO with that…"

XXXXXXX

First attacker was Lila. What a surprise…  
"How could you betray my true love to you Adrien?!" the drama queen yelled on him.  
Adrien was violently thrown down from cloud nine and now he wished not to be so hesitant to bash up a girl. He was unsure, whether shivering he felt from Marinette's hand was wrath, fear, suppressed laughter, or just effect of distress. What surprised him most, was person of life-savior.  
"I do not understand one thing, Miss Rossi von Münchhausen," commented Chloé, when she grabbed Lila's earlobe and twisted it violently. "How is it possible, why are you here? I perfectly remember, that I handed you, together with my friend Tigresse, into Police custody. So why are you here?"  
"Where should I be?" asked liary girl, attempting to weasel up out of Chloé's hand.  
"Either in young offenders institution, or better in train back to your Spaghettistan," explained Chloé, who rotated with Lila's earlobe to make her turn and after she released her prey, Chloé hit Lila's forehead by lower part of opened palm. "I checked your family background. Your mother is insignificant bureaucratic grey mouse, without diplomatic immunity. And you could only dream about having any yourself!"  
Lila staggered few steps back, before she landed by her butts on pavement. She opened her mouth to say something, but Chloé made a step towards her. Lila decided better to shut up and pissed away.  
"Who are you and where did you burry Chloé Burgeois?" asked Alix.  
"Don't be ridiculous Kubdel!" retorted Chloé.  
"Utterly ridiculous!" laughed Kim, who just came.  
"You two owe me a lunch at your place," informed Chloé, pointing on Marinette and giving Adrien quick kiss on his cheek. "I mean at your Bakery, Marinette. But not today, I need to find Sabrina and give her a new set of instructions."  
With that Chloé leaved consternated couple, looking like a warship on her mission. Several students were wise enough to move out of her way. Nobody wanted to be on her wrong side…

XXXXXXX

Luka observed Marinette with Adrien being short way off. How could she be good with that? He was almost green in face due to jealousy. But he remembered, Adrien's fist as well as kick could be lethal…

XXXXXXX

For Marinette it was way too much of distress.  
"Sorryadrienbutineedtopee!" she pouted out.  
Adrien was unsure a bit, what she just said, but when Marinette hurried towards girls' restroom, he finally deduced.  
He decided to let her some privacy and did not follow her. It was maybe mistake…  
Luka, on the other hand, awaited her close to entry to girls' restroom.  
"Marinette!" he said sotto voce, when she left restroom. "You can't waste yourself with that dandy who let every girl to kiss him!"  
Luka tried to keep Marinette in hug and to force her into kiss.  
Maybe it was promotion, paranoia, or he subconsciously heard something, but Adrien moved near to girls' restroom too.  
He observed Luka trying to kiss Marinette and started to see in red. Adrien did not see Marinette's face, contrary to Luka, whom Marinette gave a sweet smile. Luka slacken in his watchfulness. She leaned by both hands into his shoulders and by all her force she hit his testicles by her right knee…  
Luka collapsed in pain almost immediately. He did not perceive anything else but pain. Like if horrible pain infilled all his universe that moment…  
"Now you can sing like Farinelli!" said with a bit sadistic cackle Adrien.  
He grabbed Luka's neck by hands and pulled him away from Marinette. Adrien hold Luka in rear naked choke hold, made him to lean backward, and said:  
"Observing you, I think about white lilies."  
"White lilies?" wheezed Luka none-witted.  
"Yes, how perfectly would white lilies look being placed on your gravestone."  
He pushed blue-haired 'excuse for musician' and slightly kicked his ribs, making him backpedal several steps away. After that Adrien made two steps towards Luka:  
"Specific text for your gravestone?"  
As Luka was speechless, Adrien continued: "You live on a boat."  
"It's a ship," said confused Luka finally.  
"Never mind," smiled Adrien. Smile was not happy, rather brutal. "So we'll settle this the old navy way. First guy to die loses!*"  
(*orig. POTUS in Hot Shots! Part Deux)  
Luka still stared on Adrien speechless, like deer caught by headlights, like being totally unable to react somehow, even not for his life sake…  
"Play me a dirge, matey! Yarr!" said Adrien, imitating captain Dodge (Down Periscope) and making two more steps towards Luka.  
Students somehow intuited, there could be something interesting to happen and assembled there. Nino, who appeared likely out of blue, together with Alya, smiled and found something on his phone:  
"DUNN-DA-DA-DUNN, DAA-DA-DUN-DUN-DUN-DA-DUNN, YARR!  
DUNN-DA-DA-DUNN, DAA-DA-DUN-DUN-DUN-DA-DUNN, YARR!"  
The other students, observing scene, started imitate Dodge's crew on Stingray…  
Adrien rolled up his sleeves, when Juleka appeared. She quickly came to understand, what probably happened and what is probably scenario of Luka's really very short future…  
"You're a history, Couffaine!" informed Adrien, moving to Luka like frenzied golem. "You're probably obsessionnel-compulsif,* but it's treatable. As Chat Noir told you on Friday, meet your therapist!"  
(*obsessive-compulsive disorder)  
Adrien cracked his knuckled and clenched his right hand into fist. He punched into his opened left palm with ugly smacking sound.  
"Where do you want it?!"  
Juleka blocked his way.  
"STOP ADRIEN!" she shouted. "DON'T KILL HIM!"  
"Why?" asked Adrien. "Why the heck not, he got more chances, than he deserved."  
His voice was liquid nitrogen cold.  
"Adrien-San, this useless piece of garbage doesn't deserve death of warrior," Kagami appeared from his right side. "He should be bludgeoned by agricultural tools like Tanuki* caught in henhouse," she said, producing nunchaku out of her sport-bag.  
(*Nyctereutes procyonoides – Raccoon dog. In Japanese mythology, the raccoon dog or Tanuki, is known to be a shapeshifter.)  
Adrien was confused a bit and did not accept a weapon. Marinette made several steps, grabbed collar of Adrien's shirt and forcefully moved him into kiss, refocusing his attention from Luka to herself. In moment, when tension of Adrien's body melted down, she interrupted kiss and yelled on Luka:  
"RUN! You fool!"  
This moment Luka finally found some residuum of common sense and escaped from the potential scene of his own murder…  
"How did you manage it?" asked Alix. "How the heck could you tame Adrien so quickly? Well, unless…"  
Pink-haired girl observed couple for a moment.  
"You sleep with him!" she accused. "It's only possible way for such a quick result."  
Marinette did not answer.  
"Do you sleep with her?" asked Kim to Adrien. "Like really?"  
"Gentleman will never answer such a question, unless it is to his confessor, to his lawyer, or in worst case to his attending physician," said Adrien with stone face.  
Adrien's answer caused eruption of laughter, what caused Marinette to blush furiously and snuggle to Adrien even more tightly.  
"Let's go!" he whispered into her ear. "Once we're here, we don't need to be late."  
In moment, when they entered classroom, Miss Bustier was already there and pointed on them.  
"Marinette, Adrien, you're expected in Principal's office. Immediately!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47)

"What could Mr. Damocles need from us?" asked Marinette.  
"Easy answer," explained Adrien. "Either he scanned himself footage with my brawl with Luka, or that blue-haired motley denounced us. I hope doctor Bornisch has time to come again. So let's go into the lion's den…"  
He knocked on principal's office door.  
"Come in!" they heard from inside.  
Adrien entered as first, with hands in fists and emotionless grimace on face.  
"Mr. Damocles, you asked us here," he said maybe more loudly, than was necessary. "Is something out of order, should I call for my lawyer's support?"  
"I think, it's needless," answered school principal. "I just need some explanations…"  
Marinette followed Adrien quickly and placed her left hand on top of his right one.  
When they entered, Kagami and Luka were already there. Nobody inside missed to see Marinette's gesture. Kagami smiled and Luka paled. Mr. Damocles cocked his head and made sfinx grimace.  
"Mr. Agreste, I believe you claim to say, all you ever did was nothing but necessary self-defense," said principal. "But now you attacked Mr. Couffain from his back. Let's see the footage…"  
Footage was without audio and started in moment, when Adrien grabbed Luka's neck by hands.  
"There must be a part of footage, I guess some 3 minutes before this moment," said Adrien calmly. "Without adding that part into debate, I must consider it as biased against me. Is it because I came from rich family? Being wealthy is not a crime, Principal Damocles. Or were you just one of sixty-eighter leftie revolutionist sympathizer and you stay being one?"  
That was quite a dirty kind of attack from Adrien's side, but he had enough of this biased excuse for a school director.  
When the only Damocles' reaction was turning to red in face, Adrien decided to use heavier caliber right now.  
"Nathalie," he dialed his father's assistant and soon to be also new wife. "Please be so kind and inform doctor Bornisch. We'll need court order to confiscate copy of another security camera footage before the record is destroyed. He should also prepare civil action against Luka Couffaine for sexual harassment. I believe, you know, what newspaper could be interested in this cause."  
From moment, when Principal Damocles heard in one sentence words 'sexual harassment' and 'newspaper', he paled.  
"Yes, Nathalie, you're right, it will be the proper way of promotion for this school," continued Adrien sarcastically into his phone. "Yes and tell doctor Bornisch, he'll also need a forensic IT-expert…"  
Principal Damocles started hyperventilating.  
"Well, Mr. Damocles, I have for you counterproposal," Marinette channeled her inner Ladybug for a moment. "We'll debate things with open cards and as Adrien mentioned, we'll start with this footage. I believe, we'll need from time fifteen minutes before your start of screening and also some fifteen minutes after that start. I can consider cease actions against Luka or against school, if there is no action taken against Adrien. But I need this footage in my hands as backup for case Luka or you would act ill-advisedly."  
Both principal Damocles and Luka stared on Marinette, like if they saw her first time in their life and like if they were unable to understand, how such a sweet nice girl is able start negotiate like experienced mobster…  
"I believe, we can also cease that misunderstanding concerning my exercise requisites for training martial arts," Kagami laughed. "When I observed, that Adrien neared to red-mist-status, I decided to calm him down by showing him absurdity of his behavior. Thanks to my action he didn't kill here Luka Couffaine, however he might be possibly quite close to that."  
"You want me to be thankful for saying I'm piece of garbage!" Luka shouted in disbelief.  
"You acted so!" Kagami was almost furious. "Being on Marinette place, I'd myself castrate you by tantō and force you to eat it. So BE THANKFUL you were not on my wrong side."  
Adrien produced from pocket USB-flash drive with both standard and micro-USB:  
"Mr. Damocles, may I copy that part of footage?"  
Consternated principal handed him keyboard and mouse. Adrien found proper part of recorded footage and made a copy of it, placing it onto flesh drive. He checked it in Marinette's phone, that he has key part of footage in his hands.  
"Well, I strongly believe, we, well, all of us, have some more urgent work to be done," said Adrien, once being satisfied. "So let us dismiss, do not let me detain you. Luka, come with us, we have something to say you without unnecessary observers…"  
Mr. Damocles looked, like if he was saved from drown. He made gesticulation like 'do what you want to do' and nodded. All teenagers left his office and he thought of how nice would it be being director of cemetery…

XXXXXXX

"So, Couffaine, are you a snitch?" asked Kagami, once they were outside. "Or did Damocles call you by himself?"  
"I…" Luka evidently did not know what to say. "I met him in hall and he asked me to explain something. He showed me video and explained, he's going to sustain situation, so I could stay here and Adrien will have to go to another school. It was not my idea…"  
"Really?" asked Adrien with disbelief readable in face. "Your mother had pretty same idea. Being rich and being able change school, just because I can financially allow that, doesn't mean, I agree to be scapegoat for coward like you or our principal."  
"I'm not a coward!" protested Luka.  
"Shame on you!" said Adrien. "Even your sister has bigger balls, than you. She has courage to stand against me face to face, not attacking me from back."  
"Or attacking girl," said Kagami. "I have no sympathy for somebody, who attacks girl, especially with knife, like you did on Thursday."  
"I was akumatized!" shrieked Luka.  
"I don't think Hawkmoth ordered you to attack Marinette with knife," retorted Adrien. "By the way, yesterday our photo-shoot was aborted because of bomb announcement. Police inspector let me hear the voice. I'm pretty sure, it was YOUR voice. You were THAT MUCH stupid, you even didn't use voice modulator, you bozo!"  
Observing Luka's face, Adrien emitted short gurgling laughter.  
"I didn't denounce you, it's far out of my standard and you're not worthy to sink that much," he psyched his opponent out. "But watch your back, one day you can find police dogs breathing down your neck…"  
"Luka, you said you can hear music of my soul," said Marinette. "It was beautiful music you showed me, but I finally found, Adrien and me, we are soulmates. How can you not hear that?"  
Adrien thought, Luka rather does not WANT to hear it, but he decided not to tell it aloud…  
When musician did not answer, Kagami gave him so much disgusted look, he almost jumped away.  
"Adrien is Yang to her Yin," she said. "It's why I'm good with that, as I wanted Adrien for me. Yin-Yang is harmony. Yin-Yin is name for panda."  
"Just for your information," added some more salt into Luka's wounds Adrien. "If Kitty Section would need new costumes in future, it would be strictly with written and signed standard contract with Gabriel Brand. Marinette is now our freelancer designer and any design should be properly paid. During all works there will be also my father's assistant Miss Cancoeur and my bodyguard for safety, to avoid any misunderstanding."  
Luka stared silent, no move.  
"Move yourself out of my sight and do your best not to cause my wrath again," Adrien frowned on Luka. "Or try to imagine, how will you collect your knocked-out teeth by your broken fingers from floor," recommended finally, showing by his index finger direction out of where Marinette with him were to return back to classroom. "If you ask me for mercy, you pray at wrong altar…"

XXXXXXX

Marinette with Adrien copied notes from Sabrina. To Marinette's surprise, both Sabrina AND Chloé winked on her. Other students observed them like aliens from another planet…  
"How could Chloé be so cool with Marinette being with Adrien?" asked Rose. "It's so not Chloé, like if she was hexed or brainwashed!"  
"Maybe Adrien is secretly Chat Noir and Marinette Ladybug and Chloé found it," joked Alix. "That would explain everything."  
"Stupid joke!" pouted Rose. "Adrien is no way Chat Noir! Well, Marinette could be…"  
Juleka said nothing, but observed both spoken guys. Alix said it probably as joke, but even a blind squirrel can sometimes find a nut. She shook her head. How could everybody, Juleka herself included, be so blind?! Now she saw it as totally obvious. Well, her brother royally screwed up, making enemy from Chat Noir. For her surprise, she observed Nathaniel observing Marinette with Adrien, making sketches.  
During next break Adrien sought Max.  
"Can I ask you for a favor?" asked him.  
"Depends," answered Max. "What kind of favor?"  
"My father and his assistant had my phone for several hours. As they are like extremely controlling possessive, I'd expect them to place there something to spy over me. Could you and Markov check it for me?"  
"Sure," answered Markov. "Place it on table!"  
When Adrien placed his phone on table, Max pulled his sleeve to make him come closer.  
"So you finally found her!" whispered Max.  
"Found whom?" Adrien played dumb card.  
He observed Chloé and Marinette coming to them. Chloé forced Marinette to come faster.  
"I mean, Chat Noir, you finally found out, Marinette is Ladybug!" whispered Max silently, but a bit too much of triumphantly.  
That moment Chloé was already there and yelled: "Sabrina, I need you right here!"  
Chloé turned her glare on Max: "Do you have dance partner for my Saturday party?"  
"N… not yet," Max was scared a little bit.  
"Nice," said Chloé and poked by her right index finger into his chest. "Sabrina, auntie Chloé found you dance partner. Here Max is the only boy I know to be clever enough not to bore you to tears. Well, yes Adrien is clever enough too, but he's too into Marinette, so no chance even for me, not speaking about you, my dear."  
She moved more close to Max: "Say no one and you'll not meet a wrong side of Queen Bee, are we in consensus?"  
"Su… sure, Chloé," nodded Max.  
"Nice," Chloé patted Max's shoulder and left the scene. "Make agreement with your dance partner not to look stupid together."  
Max hyperventilated a bit.  
"Chloé tries her best to be nice," said Sabrina. "You're not obliged to go, if you don't want."  
"No!" Max finally found his 'fugitive' of voice. "But Chloé trying to be nice is even more terrifying, than Chloé being… well… Chloé."  
Adrien gave him smile: "She's my friend and also my ally. Just remember, what she told. It's easier to swim downstream, if you're not really excellent swimmer."  
"You didn't deny that!" said Max.  
"Neither I confirmed that," retorted Adrien. "What will you want as repay for your help?"  
"YOU will owe me a favor," explained Max. "In future."  
"Proportionate favor and only in near future," nodded Adrien. "Yes."  
"I don't want interrupt this strange kind of conversation," said Markov. "Was it actually blackmailing or what? Well, I found several apps on your phone, not just one. I reprogrammed them to show your place being somewhere you were in history from list of anticipated and appropriated place for you, coming from your schedule and from your universally known past. I only left untouched the application from DGSI, as it sells your place coordinates right together with your calling them."  
"You have contact with DGSI?!" asked Max, almost shrieking. "Like with Secret Service?"  
"Well, you should yell more loudly, Max," said Marinette. "There's still a half of globe that did not hear you."  
"Sorry!" said Max. "So do you really co-work with Secret Service?!"  
"Well Max, if I answer that question, I'd had to kill you and I will need you most likely in future, so no answers," Adrien gave him a shark smile.  
"Right right…" smiled Max.  
"Well, THAT'S interesting," said Markov. "There's even a bug in your phone."  
"A bug?!" asked confused Adrien.  
"Yes, a circuit, not a part of original scheme of connections this model of phone usually use. I can disable and remove it, but I need somebody to open the phone and remove battery."  
Adrien switched his phone off and removed battery.  
"This microchip!" showed Markov and unconnected one bug from printed circuit. "Now remove it carefully!"  
Microchip had surprisingly no number or code on it.  
"I'll ask our friends, where this came from," said Adrien, placing anonymous microchip into pocket. "So, may I use the phone now without being spied, Markov?"  
"Sure, if you believe ME, that I MYSELF did not place there anything," answered robot.  
"I guess, you have no motivation do so," answered Marinette.  
When Sabrina cleared her throat, all them recognized, she is still with them.  
"Well Sabrina, seems to me, you and Max are our new support team," said Adrien with his model smile. "It naturally means oath of silence, you can speak only to Chloé."  
"Not to Alya or Nino?" asked Max. "Are Rena Rouge and Carapace disclosed? And what kind of support, by the way?"  
"Max, you really test his patience and it's not healthy," said Marinette and hugged Adrien from his back, blocking him that way from attacking Max. "First of all don't tell Kim. And without our little circle KEEP THE SHUT UP! You're too clever for your own good," she gave Max sweet smile, what totally confused hyper-clever boy…  
"What kind of support?" repeated Adrien. "Sabrina, did Chloé tell you about her new private detective agency?"  
"Yes, she did," answered Sabrina. "She told, I could help with work there…"  
"Off course, she needs somebody loyal with common sense and intelligence, to keep it working," nodded Adrien and pointed on Sabrina. "Her agency will for sure once need also clever IT specialist, with good abilities as hacker," he pointed on Max and left the place.  
"What costume would you want for Chloé's party?" Sabrina gave Max a look.  
"Would you agree with pirates?" asked Max. "That one I already have and asking Marinette seems to be out of chance, as her time is now taken."  
Sabrina giggled and nodded.  
During lunch time they used two four seat tables in café close to school. Alya felt strange, eating together with Chloé and Sabrina, but as Chloé explained: "If you need somebody to hate, feel free to use Lila for that!"

XXXXXXX

Before coming to lunch Lila cornered Luka close to exit from school.  
"What do you want?" asked Luka. He did not believe this girl…  
"I want Adrien, you want Marinette, however I do not get why," smirked Italian girl. "We can help each other…"  
"Which way?" questioned musician with suspicion.  
"I need a ticket for Halloween party where they will be," explained queen of liars. "As I heard, you have ticket for plus one. I have costume of court lady, you can be my troubadour."  
"Very nice, but HOW would it help…"  
"I have my plan. Trust me, I know, what I'm doing. Now let's go for lunch, people should better get used to see us together," Lila's smile was true evil…

XXXXXXX

When school finally ended Adrien asked:  
"I have a time gap before my fencing. I plan to give some akuma chrysalises to professor Lefebvre. But I'll walk you home first."  
"No, I'll go with you there," protested Marinette. "I'm curious, what will professor say to us about them."  
"OK," agreed Adrien.  
They both chose hidden alley.  
"Tikki! Spots on!" "Plagg! Claws out!"  
As Ladybug and Chat Noir they reached Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle of Sorbonne and they passed same way, as they passed there last time. They used toilets to drop the transformation there and as Marinette and Adrien they knocked the door of professor Lefebvre office.  
"You must be Ladybug," said professor, observing Marinette. "Unfortunately I did not have the pleasure to meet you before, Miss…?"  
"I'm Marinette, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."  
"Nice to meet you, Miss Dupain-Cheng," said professor with smile. "From coming together I can guess, I should inform my granddaughter, you're taken, Mr. Agreste."  
"Well, yes, professor," Adrien produced jar with chrysalises from his schoolbag. "I have something for you here."  
"Perfect!" said professor. "Are these chrysalises of akumas?"  
"Yes. Do you have license to keep living akuma here?" Adrien asked with caution.  
"Not yet, but I applied for that, once I learned about this new directive," said professor. "Let's hope bureaucrats could be able to dispose my application sooner, than you two will have grandchildren studying university."  
They together laughed shortly. Professor Lefebvre placed jar into an empty insectarium and with marker pen he wrote 'Antheraea sp.' and placed there also flowerpot with flowering Nasturtium.  
"Nobody would know, they are akumas," explained professor. "Hopefully, I'll obtain that stupid bumf in time."  
"Fine," said Adrien. "See you later, professor."  
"I'll inform you, once the article is written and in print," promised professor Lefebvre.

XXXXXXX

The back room of Dupain-Cheng Bakery was silent. Adrien kissed Marinette's forehead.  
"I should go, if I don't want to abuse Plagg again."  
"Will you come for dinner?" asked Marinette.  
"What about having dinner just two of us?" Adrien's smile was cunning.  
"OK, you sly cat!" pouted Marinette. "You know the way to my balcony."

XXXXXXX

"Seems, changing aims works," said Kagami, when they finished fencing training and after shower. "Say hello to Marinette."  
"Sure, Kagami," nodded Adrien, placing his sport-bag into locker. "Sweet dreams."  
"Sweet dreams," agreed Japanese girl.  
Adrien moved to petrol station, where he came to small store. His hood and sunglasses made shop assistant feel a bit unsure. He suspected shop-lady, she had her finger close to silent alarm button. When he placed on table several boxes of condoms and appropriate banknotes, she looked much more relieved.  
Without unnecessary words she packed his 'acquisition' into anonymous dark paper bag…  
Once he was out of anybody's curious eyes, Adrien ordered: "Plagg! Claws out!"

XXXXXXX

Adrien knocked on Marinette's skylight.  
"Finally!" she welcomed him. She showed downstairs, where was placed olive green medieval-like outfit, looking like 'typical Robin Hood's' one.  
"Try it!" ordered Marinette. "I need to do some finishing sewing. My costume is already finished, the only I miss is bow and quiver with arrows."  
"If you want to see me nude, all you need to do is say," smirked Adrien and undressed, staying in boxers.  
"The fabric is softer, than I expected," commented, once he wore the costume.  
"I preferred used more modern and comfortable material, than really authentic," answered Marinette. "Nobody would need us to be like actors in Game of Thrones. Fine, now stay still."  
Girl with tongue slightly lolling out in concentration placed several pins to keep fabric on its place.  
"Don't move, I need to remove it myself," said Marinette. "It better should not pull away."  
Adrien was used for such behavior from tailors, but with Marinette it was 'a bit' different. When girl placed his costume on tailor mannequin, he hugged her from her back and kissed her left earlobe.  
Marinette quickly turned to him and hugged his neck.  
"What about dinner?"  
"What about starting with something sweet first?" said Adrien playfully.  
"Well, actually, we have cheese plate…"  
"CHEESE!" Plagg skyrocketed from Adrien's pocket. "Is there Camembert, pigtails?"  
"Don't worry, Plagg," smirked Marinette. "Tikki promised to make you company. Let us something for OUR dinner."  
"I'll look for him," promised Tikki.  
"Don't kill all fun, Sugar-Cube!" protested Plagg.  
"So…" said Adrien and kissed girl on her lips, 'searching' under her T-shirt.  
Marinette giggled and started tickle Adrien.  
"Tickle battle, M'lady?!" asked Adrien. "Interesting foreplay…"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48)

That evening was quite playful, they agreed on 'Draw' in tickle battle and after that they first time used condom for having sex.  
"So she considered you to be robber?" giggled Marinette, when Adrien explained about scared shop-assistant.  
"I guess so," nodded boy. "I used remote shop at petrol station. Could you imagine how many observers would send pictures to media, if I purchase it in normal drugstore?"  
Marinette started laughing, so Adrien decided to use moment for undressing her. This time they chose again position with Marinette on Adrien's top.  
After shower they both changed to pajamas, but Adrien decided better do homework first. Marinette felt strange. Adrien maybe emancipated himself from Gabriel's shadow, but drilled discipline with time divided into moments for work and (shorter) moments for fun will probably be in him for good. On the other hand, if she persists that, her grading could improve. Marinette could imagine how her parents would be grumpy, if her credits would worsen. But if her grades would improve, her parents at least could appreciate something…  
"That's that!" decided Adrien. "Could we try round two?"  
Slow cuddling was so nice, that just before falling asleep both Marinette and Adrien wished the moment to never stop…

XXXXXXX

Tom looked a bit resigned, when observing Marinette hand in hand with Adrien on stairs downstairs.  
"I saw through you, son!" said with half smirk. "You're here just to get good breakfast!"  
"I'm here, because I love Marinette," said Adrien with laugh. "You know it pretty well. Your kitchen is just a welcomed bonus. By the way, before we come to school, will you need some help from me?"  
"Well," Tom frowned. "You don't have a medical certificate to work in food processing. I better wouldn't risk a penalty for breaking hygienic rules."  
"Sure," nodded Adrien. "I'll ask my GP."  
"But you're welcomed to help me wash the dish," smirked Marinette. "It's used only for family purpose, so no hygienic inspector is expected here."  
"Sure," laughed boy. "The least I can do for you."

XXXXXXX

Yesterday's turmoil smoothed on Tuesday. People were pretty quickly used to see Marinette hand in hand with Adrien, well, quite surprising, that in time. Nobody objected, at least not aloud…  
During second break Nathaniel waylaid Adrien in moment, when his girlfriend was out of sight. Nathaniel wisely chose place out of sight of cameras…  
"I know who you are!" said Nathaniel.  
"Yes?" asked Adrien, giving crocodile smile to warn cartoonist. "What do you think you know?"  
"You're Chat Noir!" Nathaniel told it almost as accusation.  
"Your proofs?" asked Adrien calmly, preparing his right hand for a deathly punch.  
"Here!" said Nathaniel and showed hand-painted comics in school exercise book. "I made a sketch of both you and Marinette and I redraw your suits to costumes and it perfectly fits. For both you AND for Marinette as Ladybug."  
Adrien quickly browsed through comics. To his surprise he found there also pictures showing Marinette and him in really delicate sexual positions.  
"What do you want?" Adrien was curious and decided not to scare Nathaniel untimely.  
"You and Marinette will model pose for comics, so pictures in comics will be more realistic…" Nathaniel observed Adrien's grimace and lost his self-confidence.  
"Well, Nathaniel, are you pervert voyeur?" Adrien placed exercise book into his schoolbag and grabbed by his right hand Nathaniel's left trapezius, pushing nerve ending here and causing cartoonist to kneel down because of pain. "My recommendation is think less, draw more. But rather more decent and more safe pictures. This I confiscate. Here you have for your work and material," Adrien produced 20 euro banknote. "Next time you try something on Marinette, me or other of my friends, Chloé included, by the way, I'll make you to regret…"  
"What's it here, Adrien?" asked Marinette, who observed scene in moment, when Nathaniel was on his knees.  
"Nathaniel wants us to model pose for his comics," explained Adrien.  
"Is that so big thing?" asked Marinette.  
Adrien wordlessly handed her exercise book, opened on extra-risqué picture. Marinette's face turned red. When she attempted to tear it into pieces, Adrien stopped her:  
"I paid for it. Now it's my property."  
"OK, you pervert," said Marinette with strange smile. "Now I understand. What will we do with our Claude Monet here?"  
"I'm in forgiving mood," said Adrien. "We'll let him live, just with warning," he said, pushing nerve ending again. "You know, as cartoonist you should remember, fine motor skills of fingers could be affected by comminuted fractures…"  
Nathaniel ran away like horse hearing about horse butcher coming to town…  
"Would you want try THIS position?" asked Marinette with giggle, opening Nathaniel's exercise book again.  
"I don't believe it's technically feasible…"

XXXXXXX

Just after last lesson ended, all six heroes obtained SMS from 'Mr. Armaund's' phone:  
MEETING ON RUE DE LA FÉLICITÉ, OPPOSITE SIDE TO LA SALLE

TO BE CONTINUED…


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49)

They moved together, teenager gang for anybody, who would observe them. On opposite side to La Salle parked dark grey armored van with dark windows. 'Agent Belmondo' was driver and 'agent Mickeymouse' driver's assistant. Lateral door opened and 'Mr. Armaund' gesticulated to invite them in.  
"What's up?" Adrien asked question suggesting itself.  
"I need you to meet somebody," explained 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"Big part of our work means meeting people, quite often not the kind you'd chose to meet yourself," added Consultant Orlowski.  
"All of you but Miss Tsurugi should transform," said 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"Why?" asked Kagami.  
"You'll see soon. I need to know, how much does he know…" 'Mr. Armaund' sounded contemplatively.  
"Tikki! Spots on!" "Plagg! Claws out!" "Trixx! Let's pounce!" "Pollen! Buzz on!" "Wayzz! Shell on!" all them said their catchphrases.  
"By the way," asked Chat Noir. "How did you find out identities?"  
"We used FBI Race Recognition Software," answered chef-spy. "By the way, Mr. Agreste, we do also reveal, that your father purchased illegal cracked copy of this software."  
Chat Noir only nodded.  
"Once Miss Burgeois showed herself publically, it was quite easy," explained 'Mr. Armaund' with 'superordinate' laughter. "There was visible pattern, too many persons being akumatized from your school. That suggested, Hawkmoth must have something with your school, probably searching for main heroes there. So we checked students from Miss Burgeois's year and e voilà, we found all of you. Hawkmoth's identity we rather deduced, than confirmed, same with Mayura," spy looked amused. "The only one we did not identify yet is Master Dragon. But I believe, we do NOT need to know him personally. He seems to be quite fanatically loyal to his chosen warriors. So you can have him like your own secret support. In case, I and my team are dismissed by HQ, we'll let our successors not enough info to find and force you to cooperate with them…"  
"Who else knows our identity?" asked Rena Rouge.  
"Most likely Russian FSB*," said Consultant Orlowski. "And American CIA. Russians and Americans usually tend to know. However they mostly don't know how use such knowledge…"  
(*FSB – Federal'naya sluzhba bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federatsii – Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации – The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation)  
"Don't forget British Ministry for Supernatural Affairs and also their Carnacki Institute*," said 'Agent Belmondo'. "They also tend to snoop here in France."  
(*orig. in Simon R. Green's series)  
"Yea," agreed 'Mr. Armaund'. "But they tend to intervene only if WE really ROYALLY screw things up. Just to show themselves as good buddies and throw that back to us. Like that we vitally need their help every other day to be normally functional…"  
"Are these little dances and schemes necessary?" asked Rena Rouge. "I guess, you'll one day need me to write well about DGSI in my blog."  
"The fact, that Ladyblog is quite popular could be helpful…" admitted 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"So you want me to falsify the truth?" Rena Rouge seemed to be upset. Again.  
"I want nothing of the sort! It's up to you Miss Cesaire, what do you want?" laughed chef-spy.  
"I want to have a clear conscience," mentioned girl in orange costume.  
"A clear conscience?" asked Consultant Orlowski.  
"Yes," answer could hardly be any simpler.  
"When did you acquire this taste for luxuries?" questioned Orlowski. "Our work is similar to Police. We do our best to keep septic tank lid closed, so shits don't flood surroundings…"  
The rest of way was in silence, from Rena Rouge side insulted silence. They arrived to another factory building, where probably nobody produced anything from De Gaulle's times. Two Japanese there were in debate with 'Agent Valkyrie'. Man with ferret face, whom Adrien remembered as 'Agent Loutre', leaned against wall, his hands crossed on his chest…  
"Miss Tsurugi, you go with me, others wait for my signal!" ordered 'Mr. Armaund'.  
When he and Kagami left the van, Japanese in driver's livery together with 'Agent Valkyrie' joined 'Agent Loutre'. Older Japanese in high-end three pieces suit awaited them with typical hypocritical smile on his face…  
"Okinori," said 'Mr. Armaund' with deep bow. Kagami followed him and bowed too.  
"Armaund," said Japanese and bowed, keeping same low bow for same long time, as 'Mr. Armaund' did. "Not that I don't like to see you, but what do you need from me NOW, my dear old frenemy?"  
"I believe, you know this fellow citizen of yours," said 'Mr. Armaund', pointing on Kagami.  
"Do you think, I know each other Japanese living here in France?" asked older Japanese.  
"Do you want me to believe you don't know her?"  
"Well, I know her," admitted 'Okinori'. "I believe, I have a pleasure to meet Miss Kagami Tsurugi, one of sword-masters of world grade, am I right?"  
"Your credit made me really pleased, Mr. …" said Kagami, who recognized 'Okinori' as either first or cover name, same as 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"Let me introduce myself, Okinori Shigemitsu, cultural attaché of Japan embassy."  
"And also head of Japan espionage here in France," added 'Mr. Armaund'. "Is that all you know about Miss Tsurugi?"  
"But Armaund!"  
"But Okinori!" retorted French chef-spy. "We're here not because of your snooping around French nuclear technologies, but because of business concerning MY department."  
"So it's true, you're head of Damned Department now!" wry smile on Shigemitsu's face was sincere now. "Yes, I'm also done with quiz games. We know Miss Kagami Tsurugi to be also 'Tigresse'. So you recruited her… What about other heroes?"  
"Do you know their identities too?" asked 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"No, am I supposed to?" answered Shigemitsu.  
Nobody was able to say, whether Japanese chef-spy lied or told true…  
"Well, coming from how much you dig in every hole for info…" 'Mr. Armaund' made grimace, what almost caused Shigemitsu change insincere smile into frowning. "Nothing personal, we're professionals all of us here."  
"Even your fellow-superheroes?" asked Japan Chef-Spy.  
"You could consider them as professionals with using superpowers," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "I have a plea to you."  
"A plea?" Shigemitsu was surprised.  
"Yep. I need martial arts instructor, not grassing to my HQ. If he informs you, it's not so big problem for me."  
Japan Chef-Spy was visibly amused. He thought for a moment and nodded.  
"I'll send you good competent sensei not opening his mouth unnecessary…"  
"Thanks, Okinori," nodded 'Mr. Armaund'.  
"But in case these superheroes would be needed in Japan, you will NOT forbid them to come help us and you'll allow me to explain them potential problem, if appears. And I'd wish to meet other superheroes too."  
'Mr. Armaund' gesticulated to other heroes, so they left van.  
Chat Noir was only of them doing proper bow, Ladybug tried unsuccessfully, the others just nodded and waved hallo.  
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Shigemitsu," said Chat Noir in Japanese. "We're looking forward for cooperation to mutual benefit."  
"Not very usual one of long-nosed white barbarians is able to speak language of humans," said sarcastically Kagami in Japanese too. "Once you're here, I believe, you deserve to see at least part of show. Roaar! Stripes on!" she transformed to Tigresse.  
"Way thank you!" said Japan Chef-Spy. "Just, next time you negotiate, do never show too much during first meeting."  
"You think we show too much?" asked Chat Noir and shook his head. "If you wish to think so…"  
"For their age they're not so bad, Armaund," said Shigemitsu. "Good that you don't insist on our version of politeness. I'm needed somewhere else in less, than hour, so till next time…"  
He made not too deep bow and got into limousine with diplomatic plate on it. His chauffeur (and most likely also his bodyguard) moved off.  
"Fine," said 'Mr. Armaund'. "For first meeting not that bad at all. Would you need transport somewhere?"  
"We'll go on our own!" said Rena Rouge and grabbed Carapace's hand.  
Both them ran away pretty fast.  
"Could you bring us to our bakery, to back entry?" asked Ladybug.  
"Sure, Miss Dupain-Cheng," answered 'Agent Belmondo'.  
'Mr. Armaund' produced file with papers.  
"Miss Burgeois's detective agency will start on first of December. Here are all papers. And also…" chef-spy pulled from pocket polyethylene bag with fake Moth Miraculous. "Firefighter investigators found this little nonsense. Inform 'Master Dragon', that he should prepare short speech for news conference on Thursday. He should explain there's no Hawkmoth anymore, but there's also no clue to Mayura. So heroes must stay in hideout, not being public."  
"That's how was our plan in the beginning. Before you 'recruited' us," snorted Adrien.  
"Fine," Consultant Orlowski emitted nasty laughter. "The best lie is partially truthful. Tell Master Dragon not to reveal Hawkmoth's identity. It would be nice, if he could also show Hawkmoth's kwami, but he should instruct that kwami not to reveal name of holder…"  
"Kwami can't reveal her or his holder," explained Ladybug. "Special magic doesn't allow them to say name."  
"Nice, means Master Dragon could really publically show Hawkmoth kwami and expose Mayura as remaining problem," smiled 'Mr. Armaund'. "So we're here."  
Once four heroes left the DGSI van and entered back entry of bakery, Queen Bee turned to Chat Noir:  
"Sorry Adrien, but now we'll have a girl evening here. You'd better check your father and Nathalie, whether they do no impropriety."  
"According your schedule you should this evening practice piano," said Ladybug. "I'd love to hear you doing that. Once we finish here, I'll go to hear you."  
"You should not promise him things that easily," said Tigresse. "This way he'll be not sad enough, just feeling like he has rest from you for a moment."  
"Nice," said Chat Noir, enduring not to say 'gorgon aunties'. "May I use your skylight?"  
"Sure," nodded Ladybug. "We'll just compare notes."  
"Compare notes?" Chat Noir was confused and scared. "What notes?"  
"Just time, length, size, stamina, etc.…" said Queen Bee with a wicked smile, made gesticulations with both index fingers, and winked. "Don't worry, we'll praise you."  
"All three of us," added Tigresse.  
Chat Noir started desire to have Luka there, just to have something (or rather somebody), he could wreak revenge for his frustration on, using him as punching bag. Whoever lives in polygamy must be cretin…  
During jumping from rooftop to rooftop his head simmered down. OK. He was not allowed to stay there, to defend himself in case Chloé or Kagami would want to say, that he had sex with any of them two, what would actually be pure lie…

XXXXXXX

"That was funny," said Queen Bee. "Did you observe how scaredy he looked?"  
"That was rather pretty cruel," objected Ladybug. "Kitty always protected us. Each of us, in fact. We all should…"  
"We all should nothing!" decided Tigresse. "I wanted him, because he's perfect and such partner would be acceptable even as gaijin. But he wasn't able to decide what, or rather whom he wants. I guess, he somehow found it's YOU, Marinette as being Ladybug. And that changed everything…"  
"You're probably right," nodded Ladybug. "I forgave him you two should do the same."  
"Easy for you," snorted Queen Bee. "Once you're winner."  
"Adrien said, he never slept with any girl before me…" Ladybug seemed to be unsure.  
"Not with me," said Tigresse. "I would agree only in case, we would get engaged at least."  
"Adrien rather considered me as sister he never had," explained Queen Bee. "Not that I wouldn't agree to sleep with him. Before he started with school, we were under almost permanent supervision. Once he started with school, he started being Chat Noir and fell into Ladybug…"  
Queen Bee seemed to be sentimental a bit…  
Well, only for a moment. Malicious smirk on Queen's lips warned Ladybug:  
"And what about you and Luka?" she asked.  
"NO!" almost shouted Ladybug. "Adrien is my first and only…"  
"OK," Tigresse nodded. "Calm down, my sister just joked…"  
"I think, we should drop transformation and feed our kwamies," said Ladybug. "Do you have food for them?"  
"Sure!" said Tigresse and Queen Bee unison.  
"Tikki! Spots off!" "Roaar! Stripes off!" "Pollen! Buzz off!"  
Al three girls fed their kwamies.  
"You're right, Marinette, we should forgive Adrien for not chose one of us, but you," said Chloé, what caused general surprise to all three girls in Marinette's bedroom, Chloé herself included. "But that doesn't mean, we can't try to cause him heart-attack."  
"What do YOU mean?" asked Kagami, whose phone started ring. "Hold on, it's my mother. It could be important."  
"Yes, mother?" Kagami accepted phone-call. "Gabriel Brand sent suit-bag with designed kimono and letter, whether I could wear it tomorrow… According our driver it's beautiful… You'd prefer picture of dragon, rather, than rose… Fine… Mother, I'm with friends, but I'll be home soon… Today I met Mr. Okinori Shigemitsu from Embassy… Yes mother, I know, he's an important person… By the way, he knows, that I'm Tigresse… Yes, he's spy… Chef-spy, more correct to say it…"  
Both Marinette and Chloé observed Kagami during that call. Chloé checked her phone to find SMS from her father:  
GABRIEL SENT HIS DESIGN OUTFIT FOR TOMORROW. MAYBE IT REVEALS TOO MUCH. DAD  
"I have to explain my father, that it's what I want time-by-time wear. And I must find something for Sabrina, to look good together with me, well together with us…"  
"OK," said Marinette. "Let's check, whether my parents obtained something too and whether there are some pastries for us …"  
„Can you imagine us coming together with Adrien into class?" asked Chloé. "In THOSE extra-special-outfits…"  
"Funny," said Kagami. "Such a minor problem – I'm not in your class."  
"But at least for a moment you could have that fun with us," said Chloé. "I'll text you, where we'll meet. Marinette, you should ideally come with Adrien by their limo. And send us SMSs, so we can coordinate our arrival tomorrow."  
Marinette stared on Chloé in awe. Mayor's daughter prepared it like landing operation for D-Day. They moved together to look, whether there remained some unsold cupcakes or some another sweets…  
Her parents informed her, Nathalie asked Marinette to contact Adrien to accept her own designed outfit for Wednesday…

XXXXXXX

Chat Noir dropped his transformation in secluded alley closed to Agreste Manor and as Adrien he entered house.  
Etienne 'The Gorilla' almost smiled, seeing him and nodded. When Adrien came closer, bodyguard patted his shoulder and nodded again.  
"Hi! Are they in dining room now?"  
Another, even much stronger nod.  
"Thanks. Have a peaceful good night!"  
Walk to dining room was not long…  
"So return of prodigal son?" asked Gabriel with spiteful smile.  
"Marinette has girls' night right now," explained Adrien. "Together with Chloé and Kagami they kicked me away."  
"Actually, good to see you here now, Adrien," said Nathalie. "We've sent the design outfits for tomorrow to Mrs. Tsurugi's and to Mr. Burgeois's home. But your and Miss Dupain-Cheng outfits are here, as we were unsure, WHERE will you two be tomorrow morning."  
"OK," nodded Adrien. "Give it to me. I'll give it to Marinette."  
"Thank you, Adrien," nodded his father's assistant. "Not only for that…"  
Adrien observed both adults. He was a bit unsure, as his emotions were a bit of mixed. But it was his decision to 'order' them to marry soon. Observing easy intimacy between them he decided, it was right thing to do…  
"Would you have dinner with us?" asked his father.  
"Why not?" nodded Adrien with grimace. "But as Plagg said, NO narcotics."  
Gabriel laughed and shook his head. Now he looked happier for sure. Happier, than any other day during last three years…  
Food was rabbit fodder, as usual. Some things will probably never change…

XXXXXXX

After dinner Adrien checked his homework, finishing it in record time. Not first time he was grateful for his good brain.  
"My Camembert!" demanded Plagg, so Adrien clogged kwami's mouth with stinky cheese.  
Boy loosed up his fingers and sat to piano.  
"So, who will win now, me or Jaroslav Ježek," smirked Adrien.  
He soon found that again, old author created something pretty uneasy. Wanting himself motivate, he found on Youtube video with 14 years old boy. That boy played it just on street, but being on master level. Plagg observed video for a moment.  
"Fine, practice it for seven and half year like him and you'll be same good."  
Adrien decided to try it again and again, finally he got fingering, but speed was less, than half of necessity. He smiled on his kwami:  
"You're right, Plagg. I'll need your help with speed, once I'll decide to show it to Marinette."  
Beethoven's Moonlight sonata was easier for sure, however melody made him feel a bit sad. He became absorbed, so Plagg needed to interrupt him:  
"Pigtails is finally here and knocks on window in vain!"  
Adrien needed to wink his eyes for a moment. Than he let girl in:  
"I'm sorry Marinette I somehow paid no attention…"  
"It's OK," Ladybug hugged him. "It was beautiful music, but sad. Could you play for me something more cheerful?"  
"Sure thing, M'lady," Adrien smiled and started with Liszt's Liebestraum*.  
(*Love Dream)  
After finishing composition, Adrien smirked:  
"Nathalie gave me our outfits for tomorrow. For both of us. Now please, drop your transformation we should check homework and I really look forward for shower together…"  
"Tikki! Spots off!" Marinette was unsure a bit. She read somewhere that every man has some his own personal error. In Adrien's case it was probably too strong self-discipline.  
"OK, but we should inform Master Fu about press conference on Thursday and I want some cuddle after that!"  
Adrien nodded, Marinette seemed maybe even too cheerily.  
"Master Fu?" he dialed number. "I'll put you on speakerphone."  
"Is there a problem?" asked old Chinese. "Is Marinette with you?"  
"Quite a little bit of problem," agreed Adrien. "And yes, Marinette is here."  
"Hi, Master Fu!" greeted Marinette.  
"What problem?"  
"Department of Supernatural Threat of Secret Service found our identity," answered Adrien. "They demanded us to cooperate with them. Marinette as Ladybug made Pact Spell, so we keep each other in stalemate, but we finally agreed on some cooperation."  
"So Ladybug used 'Lucky Charm' and obtained paper with text of Pact?" asked Master Fu in disbelief. "And it worked like 'Lucky Charm' usually works?"  
"Well, yes and no," explained Marinette. "They cannot betray us, we cannot betray them. Traitor would die. But they need you to speak on press conference on Thursday, to show Nooroo there and you should say, there is no Hawkmoth anymore, but Mayura's identity is same unknown as his and she's still out there, so all heroes must stay secret…"  
"It's quite the same, what YOU want, isn't it?" asked Master Fu.  
"Yes, but better not as servants of Secret Service," said Marinette.  
"Not everything is black and white, Marinette," said Master Fu exuberantly. "Do they need to know my identity?"  
"They said, they don't," answered Adrien. "Maybe it could be even truth."  
"Maybe yes, maybe not…" agreed Master Fu with them. "OK, thanks for informing me, I'll prepare my circumlocution for Thursday. It in fact makes senses…"  
"Does it?" asked Marinette confused.  
"If we publically declare Hawkmoth as solved problem, it would mean, whoever would get akumatized, he or she should be considered as responsible for own crimes," Fu sound amused. "Thanks to fact, we officially don't know Hawkmoth's identity, nobody with half of functional brain would want risk become scapegoat. During this weekend is time after Halloween, in elder times known as Samhain time. According western tradition it's time, when curtain between world of Dead and world of Living is thinnest. Some idiots could try to mess with dark magic. This way Secret Service could reduce number of such experimenters. Fine, two of you, have a Good Night…" with that he disrupted connection.  
Marinette and Adrien started another tickle battle, from tickling they smoothly moved to feeling up. To her surprise, he stopped wit petting her after some half of an hour and demanded to continue with homework.  
"You're nuisance!" she accused joking.  
"Maybe, but your nuisance," smile did not leave Adrien's face.  
When they finished it, it was him, who offered:  
"What about race to Pyramid?"  
"Nude, normal or in suit?" asked Marinette wickedly and winked.  
"Well," Adrien pretended, like if he considered possibilities. "I guess Parisians deserve to know, we're still in business as heroes, M'lady! Plagg! Claws out!"  
"Adrien, we're not your sexual requisi…" started Tikki, but Marinette had another plans.  
"Tikki! Spots on!"  
From Louvre Pyramid they returned back in few minutes, pleasantly whooped up. They dropped transformation and took shower. This time Adrien succeeded hold Marinette in coitus in shower, however after this action his legs ached and shivered from tiredness…

XXXXXXX

Only take the time  
From the helter skelter  
Every day you find  
Everything's in kilter  
You don't need a reason  
Let the day go on and on  
Every summer sun  
Every winter evening  
Every spring to come  
Every autumn leaving  
You don't need a reason  
Let it all go on and on

Enya – Wild Child

XXXXXXX

Round two was a bit more peaceful, Marinette finally ended on Adrien's top again, with her head on his chest, hearing heartbeat slowing down. With him being heavier it seemed as natural for them to fall asleep such a way…

XXXXXXX

Morning alarm was too soon even for Adrien, who was morning person. Marinette grumpily growled, when he moved her out from warmed comforter…  
Adrien quickly shaved his face, in time, when Marinette made herself ready to go. They said quickly "Hi!" to both Nathalie and Gabriel. They moved to entrance, where 'The Gorilla' awaited them with sweet-smelling bag from Dupain-Cheng Bakery and with two plastic cups of coffee.  
"Thanks Etienne," said Adrien. "You're lifesaver."  
Bodyguard nodded and showed to car. Adrien helped Marinette in and closed door on her side. During way to school they quickly ate breakfast to get some quick energy. Paris was filled with their photos. Pictures of all three girls, same as of Adrien, seemed to be everywhere…  
Marinette wrote just one SMS and they were near school. Once the limousine stopped, Adrien hurried out to open door for Marinette and offered her hand. In no time appeared Chloé, with Sabrina being like tail of blond girl. Sabrina looked in her outfit as Chloé's chambermaid. When Chloé observed also Marinette's schoolbag together with his own on Adrien's shoulders, she added her schoolbag to Adrien's shoulder too. Marinette putted her left arm through Adien's right arm and Chloé putted her right arm through his left arm. Adrien was effectively immobilized by this action. They together steered him into classroom, with Sabrina like a shadow on their back. Kagami, whose car came a minute later, than she planned, slowly marched before them, with amused arrogant grimace on her face. If Monday was fuss, Wednesday's havoc surpassed all expectations…  
Nino filmed their coming and Alya's fingers were busy on her phone. She probably wrote report for Ladyblog about their cute little action. Several boys walked into walls or stanchions, observing a bit theatrical entrée of their little group. Some girls looked unfathomably sad…  
When Luka appeared closer, Marinette fastened keeping Adrien's right hand. Chloé on the other side almost released his left hand, so in necessary case he could brawl at least with one free left hand.  
"Paddle away, punk!" recommended Adrien.  
In moment, when Kagami opened her sport-bag, Luka used 'hare's wisdom' again.  
Lila Rossi observed their little suite with almost palpable grudge. Adrien was a bit disappointed, she did not faint…  
They met Mrs. Mendeleiev walking together with Miss Bustier. Miss Bustier elevated her left eyebrow, Mrs. Mendeleiev on the other hand smiled and showed them thumbs up. Miss Bustier swiftly turned to her colleague with surprise.  
"Caline, this kind of revolt is quite tolerable in fact," explained science teacher with amused smile. "And you must admit, Mr. Agreste is one of our cleverest students. So we can declare, this is allowed to swotters but only and strictly to swotters…"

XXXXXXX

In time of lunch pause Chloé with Sabrina came to Marinette:  
"Right now in these outfits we SHOULD go to your place, I believe," decided Chloé.  
Alya and Nino were uncommonly silent, but they joined group on way to Dupain-Cheng Bakery. Adrien wanted to pay for that, but Tom shook his head:  
"Don't insult me son. For us this your little group is like wider part of family."  
Adrien was quite sure himself that his own father would let his own cousin pay, if not being in need of something really big soon later…  
Small living room in Dupain-Cheng Bakery was overcrowded. Adrien made excusing grimace, what caused Tom to laugh. During lunch nothing unusual happened, well, if Chloé's thanks to Marinette's parents is considered usual…  
Afternoon school ended and Marinette with Adrien decided to go to sport equipment shop to buy bows for Saturday party. In most shop they found either none, or strictly modern looking bows. They finally found reflective bow 'Black Horse' in set with well-looking quiver and arrows with fins made from peasant feather.  
Seeing it, Adrien admitted:  
"I'll need Zyrtec…"  
Shop assistant came to them with disbelieve:  
"Is it really you, Mr. Agreste?"  
"I guess, I'm," smiled Adrien.  
"What would you wish?"  
"Two sets of these bows," he pointed on 'Black Horse' bow.  
"Could you show me an ID, to prove you're older, than 18?" asked shop assistant.  
"Excuse me?"  
"We mustn't sell equipment usable as weapon to person under 18."  
"Just a moment," said Adrien and dialed number of his father's assistant. "Nathalie, could you send our bodyguard on address," he said address of shop. "They refused to sell me bows and arrows."  
"Sure, Adrien," Nathalie stayed calm, as usual. "He can be there in fifteen minutes."  
"Thanks, Nathalie, say hello to father, please."  
"Sure."  
Adrien returned his phone back to pocket.  
"My bodyguard is here in twenty minutes. Maybe we should dispute, what else I will need."  
"Well, Mr. Agreste, you shouldn't forget to purchase bracer, to protect inside of your arm against being wound by the string. Here Miss?"  
"My girlfriend," said Adrien. "I pay for both."  
"OK, your girlfriend should use chest-guards, we have here some made from leather, looking quite sexy…"  
"But Adrien!" protested Marinette.  
"Darling, better safe, than sorry," said Adrien and turned back to shop-assistant. "Could you prepare things for us?"  
"Sure," shop-assistant gave some thought. "Wait a moment please."  
He used phone and dialed somebody, Adrien guessed either owner or manager.  
"It's François. We have here Adrien Agreste and he wants buy 'Black Horse' bows for himself and for his girlfriend. Maybe we could ask, whether we could use some photos with these bows as our own promotion."  
"For that I need ask my father," said Adrien hearing that and dialed his father's number.  
"Yes, Adrien?" asked Gabriel.  
"Father, I'm in sport equipment shop to buy bows. They want us to agree to be photographed for their advertisement."  
"No way!" decided his father. "But it's not such a bad idea in fact. I'll call Vincent to come there and I'll go there with Nathalie too. If they want your photos, these photos must be really professionally made. Your photos with weapons ready to use could be a good part of our campaign for 'Rebellious' line. So we could share these photos. Now let's see, how badly they want to do a deal…"  
"OK," answered Adrien. "I'll tell them."  
With short "OK!" Gabriel ended phone call.  
"Father promised to be here soon. With his own photographer," explained Adrien. "He wants use apposite photos also in his own campaign for 'Rebellious' line."  
"For something such I'm too low in pecking order," said shop assistant. "But Guillaume Mirabeau, our manager, will be here soon too and he has authority to make decisions. We can prepare accessories."  
"Fine," agreed Adrien. "Could you show us bracers?"  
"Modern or rather historicist?"  
"Historicist, ideally made from leather," answered Marinette.  
"Good, we have here Robin Hood style archery bracers," said shop assistant. "For you, Miss, I could offer also leather chest bracer. Would you prefer dark black or light brown?"  
"Both," answered Adrien, before Marinette said anything.  
"OK," nodded shop assistant. "Give me a minute!"  
When shop assistant left, Marinette turned to Adrien with angry face:  
"You better shouldn't decide for me!"  
"Maybe, my love," said Adrien in a conciliatory manner. "But, if we use it with this outfit, dark black is the best, I believe. For your costume 'Marianna, the forest fiancée', light brown fits with olive green better. Price can't be that dramatically high, so…"  
"Right!" said Marinette. "Strictly by reason, you're right. But…"  
"But later, once being my wife you'll do probably more of more important decisions, mostly probably without possibility to dispute that with me. You may ask your mum, I believe, she'll agree with me. Questions of security you could depute on me, as…"  
"Fine!" said Marinette and closed his lips by kiss.  
Adrien was sure, he heard camera click that moment. Shop assistant returned and his face was embodiment of innocence. He offered triangle piece of black leather with straps to Adrien.  
"It's chest brace. Try to help your girlfriend to wear I and fasten it properly. It belongs to left side…"  
"Sure," nodded Adrien.  
Shop assistant putted on table second chest brace, made from light brown leather, as well as several braces evidently made to protect left hand of archer…  
"This one will look good with this outfit," said Marinette, pointing on long brace made from black leather.  
"This one is proper size for your girlfriend," pointed shop assistant on one. "This one for you," pointed on another one.  
Adrien studied it.  
"Seems to me, we'll have to help each other with this," he mentioned to his girlfriend. "By the way, call your parents, whether they agree with this your modeling."  
"Sure," answered Marinette. She dialed number: "Hi mum, I'm with Adrien in sport shop and they wanted us to model with bows. Adrien's father offers making simple and fair contract."  
"Darling, depends on you, whether you agree with that," answered Sabine. "I and dad have nothing against your decision, whatever it will be. And Gabriel will for sure take care not to let him or his son somehow robbed. You, as his freelancer, will obtain same protection, especially as future Mrs. Agreste."  
"MOM!" Marinette almost yelled.  
"I think, you got EXACTLY, what you wanted," answered Sabine. "By darling!"  
"By mom!" said Marinette and they together finished phone call.  
Adrien finished fastening of chest brace covering Marinette's left boob. Shop assistant was right, it looked sexy in fact. He helped fasten arm bracer on her left arm, using two chairs, provided by obliging shop assistant. Marinette's left hand on his own left knee made him distracted a little bit. In time, when he helped her, older gray haired man appeared.  
"Mr. Agreste, nice to meet you!" man was maybe a little too much of jovial. "Let me introduce myself, Guillaume Mirabeau, commercial manager of our retail chain."  
"Nice to meet you too!" nodded Adrien. "I should better introduce my girlfriend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. My father promised to be here soon to sign potential contract and he also asked our photographer to come here."  
"Nice," said Mr. Mirabeau. He seemed to be disappointed a little bit, he probably hoped to negotiate only with unexperienced teenage Adrien. "So your personal photographer?"  
"Father's, or rather working for our brand," explained Adrien.  
The Gorilla entered shop and fixed door opened, so Gabriel Agreste could enter with Nathalie Sancoeur, who had her left arm through his right arm.  
Vincent came five minutes later, during time of negotiation. It was quite evident, he was busy, but negotiation finally ended with agreement:  
"OK, I'd cut the price to half if you agree let me use these photos for nine months," offered Mr. Mirabeau.  
"Six months," retorted Gabriel. "Eventual prolongation we'll discuss in five months."  
"OK," agreed Mr. Mirabeau.  
They both signed paper Nathalie printed, using printer in shop connected to her tablet.  
Vincent made his photos in record time. Shop assistant helped to arrange postures, so Adrien and Marinette could look like if they knew what they do with their bows.  
For final photo Adrien decided show his right index and middle fingers in 'V' symbol. Shop assistant burst in laughter:  
"I don't think many people recognize it!"  
"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Mirabeau.  
"It did English bowmen during Hundred Years' War to show, they still have their fingers and they can send arrows on the French," said Adrien.  
"What a big thing?" repeated Mr. Mirabeau uncomprehending.  
"The French used during Hundred Years' War to mutilate captured English bowmen by cutting away fingers on their right hands," explained Adrien.  
"That's something what would look good in 'Rebellious' promotion," laughed Gabriel, observing confused face of commercial manager.

TO BE CONTINUED…


End file.
